In Pursuit Of
by lovefrog159
Summary: It took 2 months for Lily and James to finally get along. 1 Quidditch game to change everything. Only 5 words and a signature placed in the wrong hands to ruin everything.
1. In Pursuit of Quidditch

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter World or anything familiar. It's J.K Rowling's**

Chapter 1: **In Pursuit Of Quidditch**

"Lily?" Rachel called back to her. She and Lily had been on their way to breakfast when suddenly Rachel found herself at the door alone. Turning, she found Lily staring at the bulletin board where the Quidditch Tryout sign up sheet was.

"I think I want to try out." She said. Rachel retraced her steps so she was standing beside Lily.

"Try out for what? The school play? Chess team? What are you going on about?" She demanded. Lily couldn't seriously want to play a rough sport like Quidditch. The Gryffindor team was probably the hardest team to make with Slytherin a close second.

"The Quidditch team." Lily told her.

"I think I heard you wrong. You want to go out for sports?"

"Yeah. I mean, its our seventh year right? So why not. I'm pretty good on a broom."

"Erm. Lily. I'm not sure if you realize this or not, but sports, as a general rule, are for boys. The male gender. When was the last time you even rode a broom? First year?"

Lily frowned. That hadn't been her point! "I could do it! I want to do it. I will do it." Lily decided. Rachel gave her a skeptical look, as if summing her up, or maybe debating on whether Lily should be sent to the mental ward of St. Mungo's.

"I see myself getting dragged into this." She said slowly. Lily smirked and raised her eye brows at Rachel. Rachel sighed and her shoulders slumped. "Why?" It came out as more of a whine, something a four year old would say about why his mother said no to a candy bar five minutes before dinner.

"Please?"

"But class."

"We'll practice after class."

"Homework?"

"Like you ever do it." Lily turned to face her. "Come on Rachel. You know you want to."

"What about Head Girl duties?" Rachel said, there was no way Lily would have time for class work, Head duties and Quidditch.

"I can't play Quidditch." She tried again.

"Neither can I. Not well at least. But that's what practice is for."

"McGonagall said the same thing! I still can't get transfiguration!"

Lily held back a laugh. She put her best "puppy dog" face on. "Rachel,"

She scrunched up her face unwillingly. She was a sucker for puppy dog faces...especially from Lily. "But-"

"It would mean so much to me."

"I don't-"

"I promise to make it up to you somehow."

Rachel groaned, finally caving. "You owe me big."

**O**

After classes they met on the front steps of the school. Rachel was wearing her comfy sweats, and a large t-shirt with the name of a muggle university on it, her black hair pulled into a pony tail. She still wasn't pleased with Lily and her 'I want to try out for Quidditch' idea.

"Where are we getting brooms?" She asked.

"We'll have to use the school sticks." Lily shrugged.

"And if someone catches us?"

"We tell them we're just playing one-on-one. A scrimmage game or something." Lily explained.

"What if we get in past curfew?" Usually she didn't care about stuff like this. But she was finding every reason, valid or not, to get out of it. As Rachel once said, 'I'm morally against exercise'. Playing Quidditch qualified as exercise.

Lily waved her hand and pointed to herself. "Hello. Head Girl. I can talk myself out of it. Now, come on." With some grumbling she followed. At the pitch gate, they discovered it was locked.

"Oh darn. Unless you plan on renting an elephant to barge through the gates, we're just going to have to give up."

"What happened to that, we can do anything attitude?" Lily asked.

"It's still trying to tell me 'we can talk Lily out of this!'" she faked enthusiasm, mocking the happy-go-lucky attitude.

"Well thats not gonna happen. I've made up my mind. Besides, we can squeeze through that opening." She pointed between the bars in the gate. Lily went first, easily slipping through the gate.

"My boobs are too big." Rachel said. Although her boobs were bigger than Lily's, she doubted they were _that _big.

"You didn't even try." She clenched her teeth together at Lily's comment, her jaw jutting to the right. Rachel slid through the bars following Lily where the brooms were stored.

Lily really wasn't appreciating her bad mood. But after getting the brooms and mounting them, it improved. Only a little, but Lily noticed.

"We could start with passing." Rachel suggested swaying on her broom gently.

"Okay." They had managed to snag a ball. The red one, Lily was pretty sure it was called a caughal. Or something similar. As it turned out, they couldn't play at all. When they'd pass it, the bugger would slip through their fingers, or they'd loose balance on their brooms. Rachel actually slipped off hers in a desperate attempt at catching the ball. Needless to say she was not pleased.

By dark neither of them had improved much. Lily wasn't rolling, finding herself under the handle of the broom as often, and twice she'd caught the ball and thrown it with almost perfect balance. They had a week till tryouts. Rachel felt the need to express this to Lily as they made their way up to the castle.

"You only have a week until tryouts. How are you going to get ready in time?"

"I don't know." Lily replied. "I'll just keep working on my riding skills. I really want to be chaser."

"Chaser?" Rachel repeated. "Seriously? Why not go out for something easy? Like ... a fan!"

"Rachel." Lily scorned.

"Well. Even Seeker is easier. Chaser your forever flying around chasing a ball. Hence the name! Chase-_er. Chaser. _Er as in the person who chases. Chaser."

"You promised to help." Lily told her.

"No I didn't. You begged me to help and I _unwillingly_ agreed." Lily rolled her eyes.

"It's still an agreement." Rachel growled at her. Deciding it would be over in a week anyway Rachel let it drop. Or tried to. They made it through the front doors before she said anything.

"How can you expect me to follow through with something I was forced into?" She demanded.

"Because your my best friend." Lily stated.

"That's not going to work forever."

"Will it work for now?"

Rachel smiled reluctantly. "For now. But really maybe you should think of recruiting someone who, oh I don't know, can actually play chaser."

"Like who?" Lily asked.

"Like," Rachel paused, but only one name came to mind. "I dunno. James, or someone."

"Potter?" Lily repeated. "Are you insane? He would laugh at me. And then he would die from laughing so hard. No way."

"He wouldn't laugh." But at Lily's look she added, "Hard enough to actually die."

They made their way up the stairs. "I don't even like him enough to ask. Its too big a favor."

"But he's captain of the team. Has been since, what? Fifth year?"

"Something like that."

"See, so he would know what it takes to get on the team. Ask him." Rachel encouraged.

"No." Lily said decidedly. "Flobber worm." She said to the Fat Lady, gaining entrance.

"Fine. What about Sirius?" Rachel persisted following her through the hole.

"Sirius?" Lily nearly choked. It was that crazy of an idea. It was even worse than asked Potter. And that was saying something.

"Sure. He made a fair chaser last year with James. Naturally he's a beater, or keeper even. Black might even be better than Potter. He's more versatile and won't be hitting on you. A better sight if I do say so myself."

"Rachel, you can't be serious."

"Well! At least he's not messing up his hair all the time." She took on a deeper voice impersonating a male, "'Oh, look at me, I'm James Potter. My hair is just so sexy.'" She ran her hand through her own hair, having taken it out of it's pony tail awhile ago.

Lily laughed glancing around the nearly empty common room before taking up a spot on the couch. "Don't forget about that stupid grin and that stitch he nicked."

"You mean snitch?" Rachel corrected.

"Whatever. It's still annoying! And thievery. He has no regard toward rules."

"It was after a match. They wouldn't have been able to use that _snitch_ again anyways."

"It's the principle of the matter!" Lily said.

"You need to just shag him already."

"Gross." Lily shuttered blenching.

"Oh come on! You're always saying how much he annoys you,"

"Because he does!"

"But you really, in fact, like him. You're like that chick from _Pride and Prejudice_. Elizabeth, prejudice against Darcy, in this case Potter, but eventually you'll see the good that lies beneath. Then you'll find yourself falling in love with him."

"Please stop." Lily begged. "Before I either die of laughter at that ridiculous notion or vomit by just thinking about marrying that git."

"You like him." Rachel said.

"Yes. You caught me." Lily said sarcastically. "I also want to have his babies, buy a cute little house with him and then at night we'll become superheros, out to stop dark wizards and make the world a safer place for wizard kind."

"You know he does want to become an Auror, so at night you might fight dark wizards with him. Or patch up his wounds when he gets home all beat up. Like a real man."

"Rachel, honestly. That's never going to happen."

"Fine. But you were the one talking about marrying him. I just told you to shag him. Get it out of your system so we can move past him."

"I don't have any feelings toward him though." She insisted. In her head she added, _except extreme disdain._

Rachel sighed. "I'm going to bed. Training is hard work, I am exhausted. Capitol E, bold it, underline it a few times, whatever. You coming?" She pulled herself off the couch, waiting for Lily's answer.

"Yeah." Together they went to the dorm, crashing almost instantly into their beds. The only thing that kept them from just collapsing into sleep was the fact that they had to change from their grimy work out clothes and brush their teeth.


	2. In pursuit of Banter

Chapter 2 In Pursuit of banter

The next morning on the way to breakfast, Lily once again glanced at the notice board. There were a few more names on the try out sheet. She stepped closer to see Sirius's name scrawled out on the top line like he was John Hancock along with a few others from last year's team.

Lily turned when she heard Rachel clomping down the stairs. "I hate you," were the first words out of her mouth.

"What did I do?" Lily demanded.

"You" Rachel pointed a finger at her as she flopped onto the nearest arm chair, "Made me get on a bloody broom. My thighs and arms hurt. Apparently just gripping the broom between my legs is enough to make them scream at me. And let me tell you, they are not happy. They're pretty pissed in fact,"

"You didn't have to grip it so hard," Lily reminded her sitting on the coffee table.

"Well, I didn't exactly want to fall off."

"You wouldn't have fallen off."

"Well it never hurts to take precautions," Rachel insisted.

"Yeah, it does. You took precautions and now you can barely walk."

"You know what? Shut up."

"Come on. Let's get breakfast."

Rachel groaned. "I cannot move."

"Stop being so dramatic."

"I'm not being dramatic. I cannot move. My body doth protest too much."

"That's not how it goes," Lily said.

"Well, it wouldn't work too well if I said 'The lady doth protest too much, methinks'. Besides, Shakespeare can stuff it."

Lily laughed. Her body leaned forward till her head rested on Rachel's lap. "Can I tell you something?"

"Course," Rachel answered immediately, her hand combing through Lily's hair.

"My body's angry with me also."

"Furious?"

"Worse. Remember the time Black gave Potter a black eye during Transfiguration?"

Rachel snickered at the memory. "Godrick. How did he do that anyway?"

"I can't remember. It was loud and in the middle of McGonnagal's lecture though, I know that."

"She was pissed."

"Well imagine her tight lipped scowl,"

"I swear her lips were going to degenerate they were pressed together so hard."

"Imagine that anger in my entire body," Lily finished.

"I think I can do that." She said. Just then the Marauders came down the stairs. Loudly.

"Speak of the devil," Lily grumbled sitting up.

"And he shall appear," Rachel finished.

"Too bad garlic isn't enough to get rid of him."

"That's vampires. Not very accurate either," Rachel corrected. "Besides a troll is a much better comparison."

Lily smiled. "But then what repels a troll?"

"I don't know. Smart people?"

"Then they should be running like hell."

"Or perhaps pretty people," Rachel offered.

"They should be cowering under rocks then."

"I concur."

Rachel laughed.

"You know, they act as if we can't hear them," the head troll himself said. The girls smiled at each other, rolling their eyes.

"Such hypocrites they are," Lily said.

"Speaking as if we can't hear them."

"When we clearly can."

"As they can us."

"I hardly understand a word they say half the time," said Sirius to his friends.

"Well, Sirius, it's simple really," James began. In Lily's opinion, his trollish head was going to burst if he kept thinking he understood what he clearly didn't. So egotistical of him.

James continued. "See Ms. Evans thinks of us as hypocrites since we talk as if they aren't there and then mention it."

"Gripe about it," Lily corrected turning her head to look at him.

He threw a grin at her, speaking to her though the words were meant for Sirius, Remus and Peter. "Lily's friend-"

"Who, amazingly enough, does have a name."

"You didn't let me finish, Evans. Lily's friend, Rachel, then clarified how we were hypocrites."

"Well, thank you for clearing that up, Potter." Lily said raising an eyebrow at him as if in a dare to disagree whatever point she would make next. "But you're forgetting something."

"Am I?" He sounded so arrogant. _Someone should throw something at his head_, Lily thought.

"Of course. What about the troll reference?"

"Yeah. Why aren't you running away like the sissies you lot are?" Rachel demanded, much to Lily's amusement.

"Because, despite what you believe, we," James waved a hand at himself and the other three. "Don't earn Trolls. We earn Outstanding."

"Acceptable more like," Lily cut in.

"Marvelous."

"Horrible."

"Amazing."

"In your dreams."

"Yes you are." He grinned again. For the love of chocolate, he needed to find a new facial expression.

Lily found herself fighting a smile at his antics though. Rachel was thoughtful enough to return to the conversation. "Real original. What next? Your eyes shine like stars in my galaxy?"

Remus also decided to join in, though he was more defusing the conversation than adding to it. "Come on, mates. I'm starved."

"Alright," James agreed. Sirius had to have the last word though.

"You know, it's my eyes that shine like stars. My name is Sirius after all."

"Say 'I' if you think Sirius' ego has inflated to suffocating levels." Rachel instructed.

"I!" Lily threw up her hand.

"I!" Rachel mirrored her actions.

"That's two against four," Sirius pointed out. "We still win."

"You can't count yourself." Lily said.

"Yes I can."

"No, you can't. It defeats the purpose. Its like you voted yourself to be king. If everyone did that there would be no consensus."

Sirius stopped, going through the conversation through his head again. Wondering how it had gotten to that point. "I'm not trying to make myself king."

"Breakfast." Remus tried again.

"Come on Sirius," James coaxed.

"You still can't count yourself when you're voted on," Lily said.

"Fine then. But that's still two against three."

"They're biased opinions."

"You don't like me, how is that unbiased?"

"I don't dislike you."

"Double negative. Congratulations, you're liked. Now lets go," James waved his arms toward the door.

Lily smiled at them. It was a smile of triumph. It was a smug smile. Clearly she thought she'd won some sort of argument. "Bu-bye."

Rachel turned to Lily, ignoring the boys. "I don't think I like this shirt."

"Why?"

"Because. I feel like you can see through it."

"I can't see anything." Lily assured her.

"Huh," Rachel looked down at herself, dissatisfied.

"How is that fair?" Sirius demanded, rooted to the spot.

"What?" Remus asked.

"Evans can look at Baker's boobs. I can't."

"Wow. Such class. Weren't you leaving?" Rachel demanded.

"How about we walk to the Great Hall together," he offered.

The two girls looked at each other. "Stab my eyes with forks," Rachel said.

"Tie me to railroad tracks," Lily joined in.

"Death by twelve muskets."

"Go mentally insane from hours under the cruciatus curse."

"What are they doing?" Sirius asked James in a stage whisper.

"My guess? Naming things they'd rather do than walk to breakfast with us."

"I'm impressed they haven't said sleep with Snivelous," Peter muttered earning laughter from the others.

Lily shot him a look, causing him to cower slightly. "Watch what you say about other students, Petigrew."

"Oh come on, if he didn't say it I would have," Sirius said.

Rachel sighed her warm brown eyes irritated. "Lily,"

"Hmm?"

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Right behind you." They stood, each suppressing painful groans. They walked out the portrait hole together, just to ditch the Marauders.

"Those boys annoy the shit out of me!" Rachel proclaimed as the door swung shut behind them.

"Agreed."

"I'm sorry, Lily, but if that boy keeps chasing you we're going to have to make you ugly." Rachel warned.

"How? By cutting off my ear?"

"Too artsy. I was thinking turning you into the smartest troll the world's ever seen."

Lily laughed. "I'd rather be deaf, cut off my ear, and commit suicide."

"Woah. Very artsy indeed. Who is that? Let's see, Beethoven was deaf, Van Goh cut off his ear. Which doesn't work for you if you are deaf because if you remember he thought he was hearing things. Then who committed suicide?"

"I was going for Richard Gerstl."

"Huh. How did-"

"There you guys are!" Someone shouted banging the door open.

Shit!" Rachel jumped, here hand covering her heart. "Flip. Natali couldn't you give us a warning or something?"

"Why aren't you two at breakfast yet?" Natali asked, ignoring Rachel.

"My heart is humming. It's beating so fast." Rachel continued, her hand still on her chest.

"We were avoiding the Marauders." Lily explained.

"Why?"

"Because we don't need men to walk us down to breakfast. We're perfectly capable, independent women," Rachel explained.

Natali frowned at her. "Your feministic beliefs are going to cause you to end up bitter and alone."

"One can only hope."

Natali decided to let it go. "So the guys are down in the Great Hall. No worries, so how about we go down now?"

"To join them?" Rachel asked.

"No. To eat."

"Are you sure they're down there?"

"Yes. Merlin, Rachel, could you be any more paranoid?" Natali demanded irritably.

"I'm not paranoid." Rachel said. "I just know for a fact that the ministry is watching everything we do inside of Hogwarts; then feeding it to You-Know-Who. We're all doomed! He knows when we talk about him."

Natali was not amused, "Lily. Make her stop."

Lily was stopping herself from laughing at Rachel's antics though. "Come on." She pulled on her sleeve.

Rachel leaned over to whisper in a conspiring tone. "I bet He knows what knickers I've got on."

"Oh my...Hell," Natali shoved Rachel out the bathroom causing her to bust out laughing. She linked arms with Natali and Lily.

"Okay, I'm done."

"Thank Merlin." Natali muttered, pulling her arm away from Rachel.

"Aw, come on. Buck up chappy. Its not so bad."

"Lily." Natali said almost warningly.

"Rachel."

"John Jacob Jingle Himmer Smitt," Rachel smiled. Lily laughed. Soon they both were laughing leaving Natali to stand by. Disapproving of their behavior.

"So why did you go to the loo with Rachel?" Natali asked.

"I protest." Rachel said.

"Protest what?"

"You said it in an accusing tone."

"No, I didn't."

"Did."

"Didn't."

"Guys! Knock it off." Lily warned. "We didn't want to walk down with the Marauders, so we made up the excuse that we had to go the bathroom."

"Figures."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rachel demanded.

"Just that your feminism is getting in Lily's way."

"My feminism? What about your thinking that men are superior?"

"Oh jeez." Lily muttered.

"God made them the stronger sex."

"Ha! That's rich. Men are just egotistic credences. They were made to take up space and for reproduction. Half of them can't even do that. Then the other half shouldn't be allowed to."

"Hey! Look the Great Hall!" Lily shouted.

"You know you didn't even get these ridiculous opinions until you dated Sirius."

Rachel gasped loudly, her arm swinging out to point at Natali's face. "LIES!"

"Really?"

"Yes really. I only dated him because...You know what? I don't have to defend myself to you."

"I think I'm going to sit with Laura if you don't knock it off." Lily said. The two stopped.

"Fine. I'll stop if she does." Rachel offered.

"Childish much?" Natali retorted. For a second it looked like Rachel was going to argue, but instead she stuck out her tongue.

"Remind me why I have to put up with this?" Rachel asked Lily.

"Because we're friends. And I'm friends with Natali."

"So we're friends by association?"

"Hardly even that." Natali put in.

"Nobody asked you."

Natali ran her hand over her brown hair. Much lighter than Rachel's. She sighed loudly. "Lily."

"We're in the Great Hall. Can't you two at least pretend to get along?"

"Not even I'm that good an actress." Rachel said.

"So, Lily we wanted to finish that discussion on use of the unforgivable curses, but you never showed at the library."

"She was with me." Rachel told her a little too smugly.

"Anyway. Did you want to come over to our table to finish it?" Natali asked.

"Oh! I totally forgot about the library thing. Rachel and I were working out yesterday evening."

"Is that why you were walking funny?"

"Yeah. I'm a bit sore." Lily admitted.

"You should stretch before exercising. That way you won't run the risk of pulling something or getting a sports injury."

"Well, thanks for that precious bit of knowledge," Rachel mocked.

" Its a day late I suppose." Natali allowed.

"No big. We just forgot." Lily said. Then turning her attention more fully on Rachel and said, "Do you mind if I sit at the Ravenclaw table? I'll see you first class, I really want to finish this."

Rachel's chocolate eyes got all big and sad, her eyebrows curving over them in the most heartbreaking look ever. She whimpered. "I guess I could sit with Laura and them."

"Thanks, Rach. Be to class about five or ten minutes early. I want to talk to you," Lily told her placing a gentle hand on her arm.

"Kay," Rachel allowed nodding once. Lily smiled at her before walking off with Natali.

**Finally chapter two is done. I'm really excited about this story so the chapters should be coming more quickly. So what did you think? Do you like the characters? How well did I define their relationship? (I didn't directly say so its up to your interpretation)**


	3. In Pursuit of Walking Away

Chapter 3: In pursuit of walking away

Saturday afternoon Lily sat in the library studying with Natali. Rachel, once she heard Natali would be there, suddenly had other plans. At that point Natali was repeating the ingredients of a potion question Lily had asked to herself a few more times with her head in her hands, causing her dark brown hair to swing in front of her face like a curtain. "Merlin. What am I forgetting?" She muttered before listing the ones she knew again.

"Come on, Natali. It's not that hard," Lily encouraged trying to telepathically send her the answer that was clearly written in the book on her lap.

"I know! It's just evading me." Natali ground out, frustrated.

"Bull mucus."

Lily looked up at the voice that had given the answer.

"Should I leave you two _alone_?" Natali asked, as they had been looking at each other seemingly oblivious that she was even still there. Lily had been glaring at him; James, the unobservant git, was just grinning back at her as if the whole thing was amusing. That or his small brain deluded him into thinking she was staring at him.

"No." Lily answered turning away from James. "But bull mucus is what you were missing. Your turn."

Natali shuffled through her notes before landing on Defense Against the Dark Arts. "Name three spells that when cast directly at a Shield Charm, they go right through."

"The unforgivables." Lily and James answered instantly. Lily glared at James again. Couldn't he just leave? No one asked him to join the study session. Of course, that would be just like him to assume he was invited.

"Right. Lily-"

"No. Do another. Potter cheated."

"Okay. Another DADA?" Natali asked.

"Whatever," Lily snapped.

"At least one curse that can go through a protego shield when indirectly cast."

"Fiendifire." Again they answered at the same time. James grinned at Lily. Lily glared at James.

"Right." Natali said glancing between the two again. She could almost feel the competition radiating between them. This was no longer a game to help remember which spells did what, or what potions cured which disease. This was war.

"Bet you can't name why it's fiendifire." Lily challenged, pretty much confirming Natali's thoughts.

"Because it hits indirectly the fire can go through a shield charm, though the spell itself can't. Why is there no shield against the unforgivables?" He shot back.

"Because if there was a shield they wouldn't be unforgivable. Also because they're much darker and stronger magic than a rather simple shield charm can hold up against. If there ever was a shield powerful enough to fight against them its been since lost through time."

"Not true." James disagreed.

"How?"

"The Imperius Curse can be fought against. With enough will power."

"Yes," Lily allowed, "but that doesn't stop the curse from actually hitting its target. The target simply fights it off. Much like a disarming spell or counter-curse."

"No. Counter-curses, generally have to be removed from a third party. Plus a disarming spell takes away one's ability to actually cast the spell. You know, since it throws their wand across the room," James countered.

"Okay. Next question?" Natali offered.

"Alright. My turn." James said. He pulled out a chair, sitting on it backwards so his legs were on either side of the backrest and his arms crossed at the top. He leaned across the corner of the table, looked right at Lily. "There is a Hogsmead trip next weekend. Would you do the honors of going with me?"

She gave him a considering look. "Give me one good reason why I should."

"Can she do that?" He asked Natali.

"Do what?"

"Counter my question?"

"Well, technically she can ask for clarification or before the next question is asked there can be a discussion. But she can't ask a new question until she's answered." Natali explained.

"Yes, but if you remember, Natali, we said no personal questions. This is strictly a study game. Not something to get gossip from," Lily said.

"Well, yeah." Natali agreed.

"I'm not trying to get gossip. I also joined the game uninvited and unannounced. Thereby I don't know the rules nor do I have to follow them, since I am not technically playing."

"There's that too,"

"You did, however, participate in at least one round."

"So?"

"So you chose to play at least once by the rules. Because of this rare display of rule abidance you are now expected to continue to follow said rules." Lily explained, as if to a small child.

"True," Natali said.

"I'm sure you have rules on how to properly answer the questions?" James asked.

"Of course we-"

"Did I follow them?" James cut her off.

Lily scowled. "No. The rules clearly state that only one person can answer the same question correctly."

Before she got a chance to mention that he did answer her challenge question he continued, "So I haven't been playing by the rules at all?"

"In true rule-breaking, incorrigible, childish-"

"Let's skip the compliments shall we?" He interrupted.

Lily let out a breath. "Not once have you actually, fully, obeyed the rules."

James grinned. "So, since I have proven my rule abiding abilities-"

"Or lack there of."

"Wouldn't you agree then, that in true form I could ask whatever question I want?"

"If you choose to not abide by the rules then there is nothing stopping me from reciprocating with, 'give me one good reason why I should go with you'."

"Ah, but if I must stay consistent with breaking the rules you've got to stay consistent with following them."

"Then I request a clarification." Lily stated. "But you should know that if you aren't going to follow the rules there's nothing, other than my own morals, keeping me from playing dirty."

"Consider me warned." The grin on his face was huge. He liked the idea of her playing dirty. Though his idea of dirty was much different than what she had intended. She glared at him. Natali sat watching them almost nervously.

"So? What's your answer?" James asked.

"I'm waiting for you to convince me I should."

"Is that an opportunity your giving me?"

"Your blowing it." She warned. Though she had no intentions of going with him.

"I feel like I have to sell myself."

"You have five minutes." She told him looking at her watch. It was 4: 52. Much later than she had thought.

"Well, I'm pleasant, smart, handsome,"

"Humble, and egostistic?" Lily offered.

"Confident."

"Honestly. Why don't you just tell me why I should go out with you?"

"Well, generally the same reason you'd go out with any guy. Because see, when a guy likes a girl, they date and eventually-"

"Stop." Lily held up a hand. Natali smiled into her book that sat on the table. "I don't need the graphic details."

"So what do you say then? About the date I mean. I'm not expecting...er...I-Your."

Lily raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for his spout of awkwardness to pass. "What are you trying to say James?"

"I-nothing."

Lily snickered. Her mouth was open, about ready to reply when she saw someone waving frantically at her behind James. Unsurprisingly enough it was Rachel. She motioned quickly, with flailing arms, that they needed to go stuff their faces, presumably with food. Then she gripped something invisible in front of her.

Lily frowned. Rachel's black hair swished around her as she rocketed back and forth, side to side. "Oh!" Lily exclaimed.

James turned his head to see what she was looking at, just as Rachel dove behind a book shelf.

Lily stood from the table. "I have something, I er, need to be." She didn't even look at James as she stood darting after Rachel.

Once behind the shelf both girls darted for the exit, out of Natali and James' sights. "What the hell was that?" Lily hissed.

"I was trying to get your attention." Rachel retorted pushing the door open.

"By dancing around like a mad woman?"

"It was impromptu signing."

"Impromptu?"

"It means-"

"I know what it means. But why couldn't you just go up to the table and tell me?"

"Because I didn't know if you wanted James to know." Rachel explained. Which of course meant she didn't want to fill Natali in on their little plan. "Besides I didn't have time to make up cue cards like some acme cartoon."

"What did you want?"

"Did I not get my point across?" Rachel asked slowing to a walk as they entered the Grand Staircase.

"You mean this?" Lily reenacted her food shoveling, or that's what she assumed it was supposed to be, and then the crazy swaying and rocking.

"Yes that. Did you really not get it?"

"I got dinner, but what was this supposed to be?" She redid the weird rocking.

"Broom." Rachel explained slowly clasping her hands around an invisible broom in front of her, "Flying," She rocked, leaning forward as if to gain momentum. "Get it now?"

"Am I supposed to?" Lily grinned to show she was just teasing. Rachel rolled her eyes, shoving Lily's shoulder.

"Alright Einstein. Lets go have dinner."

"Actually, I had a late lunch. Why don't we just go change then head out? Or were you hungry?"

"No. Me and Lauren,"

"Lauren and I." Lily corrected. Rachel stopped giving her a look.

"Me and Lauren," she repeated. "We had an early dinner before I came and got you."

"So what would you have done while I ate dinner?"

"Ate dinner part two." Rachel shrugged. They changed courses going up to the dorm instead of the Great Hall below.

Upon entering the common room Lily glanced at the notice board, as had become habit whenever she passed. Instantly her eyes found the Quidditch Tryout sheet.

"Rach," Lily said.

"Yeah?" Rachel asked, her head thrown back to look at Lily.

"Give me a quill."

Rachel dug through her bag for a minute before drawing out a quill and ink. She handed over the quill to Lily. "You sure you want to sign up? It makes it more official."

"I'm sure." Lily told her brushing her red hair over her shoulder so she could lean down to sign her name without it getting in her face. She then dipped the writing implement in the ink.

With her name neatly written bellow the scrawl of _Adam Daniels._ Lily took a step back, admiring the way her name looked. It was about to become a part of something. She took pride in that.

"Looks good." Rachel praised.

"It does." She agreed looking at it a bit longer. "So ready to change?"

"What are we going to kill today?"

"I was thinking our glutes."

Rachel laughed. "Can't we do something I won't use? I like sitting."

Lily laughed as well. "Glutes is a funny word."

"Better than butt." This made both of them laugh harder.

"Okay, lets go." They made their way up the stairs at a steady pace.

Once changed into comfortable exercise clothes they went to the pitch. They got brooms only to sit in the grass and ignore them.

"Do you think I could buy myself a broom?" Lily asked picking at the splintering handle of the broom in her lap.

"Probably."

Lily sighed, "Come on lets stretch this time."

Rachel groaned un-crossing her legs. They each reached for their left foot. "Why didn't you invite _Natali_ to exercise with you?" It was clear in her tone how she felt about Natali.

"Because this is our thing. Plus she's of a different house. She'd also try to talk me out of it."

"I did try to talk you out of it." Rachel reminded her.

"Yeah, but Natali doesn't cave as easily. Plus I knew you'd be more fun to do this with." Lily explained switching to her right foot.

"So the only reason you're out here with me is because I'm a big push over?"

"Yes Rachel. That's it." Lily retorted sarcastically. They silently stretched their shoulders and arms for awhile.

"So, in all seriousness here, what are we going to do today?" Rachel asked. She was standing now, her foot pulled up behind her, the other trying to stay planted on the ground.

"I don't know. I'm still not great with catching or throwing the quaffle. Maybe today we could add in some movement to the throws."

"Great. But if I end up with a serious concussion I will blame you. You will also be the reason for my untimely death."

"If you have a concussion you won't be able to remember me at all." Lily disagreed.

"Oh no. I'll wake up and the first words out of my mouth will be, 'Where the hell am I?' then 'I'm gonna kill that bloody red head'."

Lily laughed. "Good to know."

"Lets warm up at least." Rachel suggested. "Start with just tossing it around."

"Alright." Lily agreed swinging her leg over the broom. Once in the air Rachel threw her the quaffle.

"There should be a game to this."

"You mean other than Quidditch?" Lily asked.

"I mean like a practice game version. You know like concentration only with a ball. You play that with Natali don't you?"

"Yeah. But its more of a study technique. Besides do you even know how to play?"

"I've seen the two of you play often enough." Rachel said catching the quaffle much better than she had the day before.

"Okay. Toss over the ball." Though it was a close catch it was a catch, so Lily began. "Name the counter curses to the most commonly used duel spells."

"Seriously?" Rachel asked.

"Yes. Starting with Petrificus Totalus." Lily instructed throwing the ball at her.

Rachel frowned catching the ball. "Does it even have a counter?"

"Of course it does. Its just not commonly used but rather the spell wears off seeing as it can only be reversed by a second person. Also its not often used in duels. Seeing as it immobilizes the opponent."

"I changed my mind." Rachel tossed the ball. "Lets work on moving targets."

Lily grinned. "I'm used to trying to stump Natali. Sorry."

"How you even manage to see it as a game is so beyond me."

"Its a study technique. And it is fun."

"A study technique can't be fun. Unless it involves burning the study material." Rachel said thoughtfully.

"Setting books on fire isn't even studying." she threw the ball back.

"It could be!" Rachel insisted. "If you're using incendio."

"Hey, let me try to drop the ball down to you." Lily suggested holding her hands open for the quaffle.

"And have it hit my head? No thank you."

"I won't hit your head. Just fly below me." Lily instructed.

"I have the thing. Why don't you practice your catching skills and fly below me?"

"Because-Fine." She eased her broom down. "Should we be moving?"

"And risk further injury? No. Lets just try this stationary."

After several minutes though they did start working on moving. At first it was clumsy and they ended up missing most of the time, but as time progressed they got better. Their speed faster. Their catches more frequent.

Rachel leaned back on her broom, catching it from a lower place in the air than Lily. The momentum of the quaffle nearly causing her to fall from her broom.

The quaffle soared back through the air, coming right at Lily, it would have been a perfect catch too if someone hadn't come out of nowhere and snatched it. Then the person came into focus, hovering right before her sat Sirius. His dark hair already swept back from the speed he used to intercept the ball. His gray eyes sparkled as they usually did with that arrogance.

"Give it back, Black." Lily commanded. He just grinned, spinning the ball between his hands.

He tossed it up saying, "Why?" It wasn't so much a question as a taunt.

Lily's annoyed eyes met Rachel's. "We were out here first." She told him, her gaze shifting back to him.

Sirius's grin didn't falter, if anything it got bigger. He chucked the quaffle over Lily's head. Her eyes followed it as it sailed over her, landing almost perfectly in James' hands. So they were both there. As if she hadn't gotten enough of him when they were in the library.

"Padfoot?" James called chucking the ball back, right over Lily's head like it was monkey in the middle.

"Yes, Prongs?" Sirius answered catching it.

"Isn't the pitch reserved for Quidditch players?" He edged closer to Lily. "And first years?"

"Generally." He agreed.

"So then," James was almost right next to Lily now, "What are Evans and Baker doing here?"

"Well, maybe they want to challenge us to a game?" Sirius offered throwing the quaffle back to James.

It soared quickly through the air, a red blur. It nearly barreled into Lily's face, as had been their plan she was sure. James caught it smirking. "Up for the challenge," He leaned close to her. "Evans?"

Lily's back was straight, her head held high as she answered, "Are you?"

James laughed. "You know, I saw your name on the tryout sheet. I didn't think you were seriously going to tryout. I take it this is you practicing?"

"I bet eleven sickles that it was dare." Sirius said.

"I said you don't do dares so someone put it on for a practical joke." said James.

"You're both wrong." Lily told them. Rachel flew down to join them.

"Surprise, suprise." Rachel monotonously said. "The golden boys are wrong."

"Did you hear that?" Sirius asked, "We're golden."

"To some perhaps." Rachel allowed. "But to most your a burden."

"Alright. So why _did_ you put your name on the tryout sheet?" James asked ignoring Sirius and Rachel.

"I wanted to."

James narrowed his eyes. "You wanted to?"

"Do you need a hearing aid?"

"A what?"

"Never mind."

"Its a muggle device used for the hearing impaired and old. Or in this case incompetent." Rachel explained.

"Well I'm none of those things." James said. The girls rolled their eyes. "So, because you _wanted _to be on the team you just figured you'd put your name on the list and be on?"

"No. That's why I'm out here."

"Stupid." Rachel muttered leaning her head back.

"Well how about some professional help."

"From who? I don't see any professionals out here." Lily stated.

"Oh. That hurts Evans." James dramatically put a hand over his heart, 'injured'.

"How about this," Sirius proposed. "Lets see who can get a goal first. The one who does gets the pitch? And if its you then you can be on the team."

"That's hardly fair. The two of you-"

"Baboons." Rachel muttered once again.

"Have been playing since, I'm sure, you've been able to walk. We didn't even know we could do magic until we were eleven." Lily argued. Which technically wasn't true, but for sake of argument she was going to stick with it.

"Not up for the challenge after all?" James teased.

"Its not about that." Lily snapped. "Its the moral of the point. You lot have an unfair advantage. You have experience on your side."

"Scared?"

"No."

"Lily, lets just go. They're not worth the time." Rachel suggested. "You could out wit them anytime. It doesn't matter anyway."

Lily looked at Rachel. She really didn't want to back down from a challenge. Her pride wouldn't really let her. Especially when it would mean letting Potter or his cronies win.

"Fine." Lily huffed. She flew past James angrily, meeting Rachel on the ground. Each landing at about the same time.

"Those insufferable gits." Rachel ranted banging the handle of her broom on the grass.

"Come on." Lily pulled on her sleeve, leaving the boys to fly over them, watching them leave the pitch.

**So...Do you guys like it? I'm LOVING this story so far. I love doing the dialog :) But really tell me what YOU think.**


	4. In pursuit of Getting on the Team

**I Am proud to present to you CHAPTER 4! Drum role please**

Chapter 4: In pursuit of getting on the team

The first Hogsmead trip of the year was also the same day as tryouts. So when Saturday arrived, Lily woke up early and literally dragged Rachel out of bed. Lauren, their other roommate, had been up and trudged down for breakfast with them. In the Great Hall, James was waving a piece of sausage on his fork, clearly he was making a joke of some kind as Sirius' laugh could be heard from the doorway.

Lily watched as James dropped his fork onto the plate in front of him then waved his arms saying something more, Sirius laughing harder than ever. Then, as if he could feel Lily watching him, he looked up and caught her eye.

"I'm so happy today is the tryouts," Rachel grumbled walking past Lily into the room. Lily, still watching the two boys, came to her senses and followed Rachel. James had taken his attention from her and given it back to Sirius. The joke was obviously over as James was eating a bit of sausage and Sirius was leaned across the table talking to him, as if sharing a secret.

"For the record I want to kill you right now. I mean, was it necessary to wake me up so bloody early?

"Sorry," Lily said sitting in their usual place.

"You nervous?" Lauren asked watching Lily as she sat down beside her. Rachel had told Lauren about their plan in hopes to get more help, or out of helping, depending on how the situation was looked at.

"A little," she admitted.

Rachel propped her head up in her hand as she leaned across the table to see both girls. "You'll make the team,"

Lauren's voice was quiet as she said, "I doubt you'll even have to tryout."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily demanded, not liking what Lauren seemed to be implying.

"Potter's captain." Her voice was loud again, or more like normal. "Agree to a date and you're in," Lauren explained with a shrug, grabbing a roll from a nearby basket. "I know you wouldn't do that though. You've got a great sense of pride that wouldn't allow you to be put on the team unfairly. Pass the marmalade."

Rachel turned her head, glancing at the marmalade. Then she looked back at Lauren, as if to say, 'Seriously? But it's _all_ the way over there.'

Lily covered a couple waffles in syrup as Rachel and Lauren silently fought it out. These were the types of moments where you could really see the history and closeness between the two.

Finally, Rachel sighed loudly, reaching over for the marmalade. Lauren took it smirking triumphantly as she always did when she got Rachel to do what she wanted. It was a never ending cycle between the two.

"I really don't think he'd do that though," Lauren continued as if she had not won some sort of battle of the wills using only your eyes as communication.

"Yeah." Rachel agreed sarcastically. "The asinine git might surprise you and not do something stupid for once.

"Tell us how you really feel." Lauren teased spreading the marmalade onto her roll.

"Are you going to be on the team again this year?" Lily asked changing the subject.

"Dunno. I might go out for it. Seeker again. I put my name on the list just in case. It was tons of hastle to get on the team last year though. Let me tell you, James is such a hard ass when it comes to Quidditch. Hmm, maybe he wouldn't let you on the team after all."

Rachel and Lily looked down the table at James, wondering if what Lauren was saying was actually true. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. After breakfast Lily went down to the pitch alone; because Lauren decided if James really wanted her on the team he'd find her. If he didn't it would give her a chance to have fun her last year.

By the time she got to the pitch, James already had a group gathered, all ranging from various heights, hair color, age and of course, gender. Though there were more guys than girls there to tryout, she noticed. Lily didn't include the small group of on lookers in the stands. The typical group of opposing team spies and bored girls who just wanted something to watch.

A few minutes passed before instructions were given. "Alright guys, line up. Just one row," James called out.

It took awhile, but once the single line was formed he continued. "I'm going to sort you into four groups. Remember your number." He walked down the line, starting at the end farthest from Lily. He seemed to give them out randomly. No, 'one, two, three, four' repeat. He wasn't grouping them by year as far as she could tell. It was more of, 'two, four, two, one, one, one, three, four, three, two.'

Lily also noticed he ignored the audience in the stands. Either he didn't care, because he thought the other teams didn't stand a chance so they could spy all they wanted, or he simply didn't mind showing off. Or, given Jame's ego, a bit of all three.

James was a few people away now. "One. Three. Um, lets say two. Four." Then he got to Lily.

He chuckled shaking his head, then skipped her. No number, no 'get off the pitch'. He just laughed and moved on. "Three. One. One."

When he got to the end of the line he moved back to the center. "Okay, nice turnout this year. Honest. First off, I'm captain so I pick whose on the team. Simple as that. You don't like it get off the pitch now. Practices every Monday and Thursday. If you don't like that get off the pitch now. Games are generally on the weekends. Nothing I can do about it, but if you don't like that, get off the pitch now. If I decide we need more practice it will be scheduled and put on the notice board. Gryffindor is the best house at this school. If you don't agree, get off my pitch now. So we will work like we are. Practices will be tough, they will push you. Again get off if you can't handle it." James paced in front of his crowd not waiting or watching the few who did walk off as he went on. Lily did notice that his repeat of 'get off the pitch now' changed to _his_ pitch when talking about who was best house. So maybe the lack of caring about the watchers was because of his confidence in the team after all.

"Let's start shall we? If you change your minds about being on the team, don't waste my time, just leave." He motioned for Sirius, calling his name even. _Very_ professional.

They conversed for a second, and Sirius pulled something from his pocket handing it to James a bit grudgingly.

James smiled to the people on the field. "Alright group one in the air."

Group one consisted of mostly first years, the weaker links in a way. The only exceptions in the group were the beaters from last year, two sixth years, Toby Williams and Keith Smith.

The entire group made a few laps around the pitch before James told them to land then who could stay for round two and who didn't need to. He repeated the same thing with each group, until they had all been in the air.

By the end he had a few new people for seeker, seeing as Lauren didn't show and the reserve from last year had been a seventh year. Lily quickly discovered that the year before James had two of everything. A first string and a reserve.

The people left were: The keeper from last year, a sixth year, Shawn Michaels and his reserve, a fifth year, Janessa Jones. Or to the guys Jay-Jay. Then there were the beaters, Toby and Keith, but no reserves. Sirius and James were of course chasers with no third but they did have the extra from last year, Adam. Three candidates for seeker, two girls and a boy, none of them seventh years. And about five others for various positions. And then Lily, who James completely ignored.

She continued to stand watching as he had them do some of the practice warm ups, in order to test which ones had enough persistence, stamina and endurance. She continued waiting for him to give her instructions. Even just acknowledge her. Frankly laughing at her did not constitute as acknowledgement.

Finally she just decided on shouting, excuse me, _talking_ to him. Like a reasonable, respectable, mature adult.

"What the bloody hell's your problem?" Like that. Real mature.

James looked at her, an eyebrow raised, though he still managed to look slightly bemused. "Excuse me?"

"You just let me stand over there for practically an hour! Don't tell me to leave, or give me a number, what the hell's that about anyway? And I would ask, who in their right mind would put an asinine credence like yourself in charge? But then, I don't need to ask that because the same man has yet to expel your ass."

James was trying to hold back from busting up laughing. He was also trying to discreetly rub his jaw in just a way as to cover his mouth. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't you dare say you have no idea what I'm talking about." She warned dangerously.

He couldn't fight off that smile. "Alright." So instead of either revealing the smile fully or doing exactly what he was warned not to, he turned to the group. "Okay everyone. You all did pretty good. The list will be posted by Monday. If you've changed your mind about being on the team and didn't leave when I gave you the many chances, tell me on your way out. Go shower everybody."

"I'm sorry," Lily said to him rather rudely, "But does everybody include me?"

"Are you sweaty?" He asked walking toward the locker room, ahead of the rest of the group, save Lily.

"Of course I'm not. You wouldn't let me do anything."

"I never stopped you." He disagreed.

"You never gave me any instruction."

"And suddenly you're not a self starter?"

"That's different." She said sternly. "In this instance, you're the bloody captain. You're supposed to be telling people what to do."

"Oh?" He asked stopping in front of the locker room doors. "So I get to be you?"

"I am not bossy," she said indignantly.

"Well, I didn't need you to try out."

"So you're not letting me on the team?" Lily demanded, then not waiting for an answer, "You can't do that. Everyone who comes to tryout should get an equal and fair chance."

James pulled her over to his side so that the people could enter the room without having Lily shout over them.

She ripped her arm free, though he'd only been holding it long enough to pull her over. "Where was Lauren today?" He asked.

"What? You're asking about Lauren?" She demanded. "You have the fucking nerve to-"

"Okay, that," He cut her off, "language right there would make me have to cut you from the team. Since its a school team foul language can get us punished."

Lily scowled, but he continued. "Now, I would absolutely love to continue this charming argument, but I need to check off the people so I know who I can add to the team."

Lily stood next to him, glowering as he made a mark by the people who where available. About half way through the line, which wasn't that long anyway, she spoke up. "Tell me why."

James sighed loudly making another mark. "Why what?"

"Why you wouldn't let me tryout."

" I didn't stop you from trying out."

"Is it because I'm a girl?" She demanded.

"Of course not. We have girls on the team all the time." He reminded her. Alright so blaming the sexist bastard in him was out.

"Then why didn't you let me try out?"

"I repeat, I didn't stop you from trying out."

Lily growled in frustration. "You didn't give me the chance to either."

"How about we find something new to argue about?" He suggested. "Like, the fact that red heads do have the worst tempers."

"I agree." She said

"Banana's are bad for you." He tried again.

"Too many of them would be." She replied making sure that he couldn't argue with her.

"Your shoes are ugly."

"Yes they are."

"Books are pointless."

"When in your hands, yes." She smiled smugly.

Finally he sighed. "Oh good. This is the part where you're going to agree with me on everything, until you get what you want. Brilliant."

"Well? Are you going to answer my question?" She asked.

"No." He answered simply.

"No?" Lily repeated. "What do you mean no?"

"I mean no. I'm not going to answer your question. New theory. Red is the new blonde."

"I'll have you know I have one of the highest marks in the school."

"Next to me?" He asked, way too smugly for her liking.

"There was a grading error."

James laughed shaking his head, marking another name. There were two more people pushing their way through the line.

"Besides, I wasn't feeling well that day. And I hadn't had breakfast."

"My dog ate my homework." James added. "My liver burst, but its better now. My best friend reset my alarm clock. I got the dates wrong."

"What are you doing?"

"Adding to your excuses." He marked off the last name, then looked at her, "Just face it. I'm better than you."

"No! You are not. You are-are." She couldn't think clearly she was so angry. It was all just a screaming mess of kill him.

The last person in the line had gone into the locker room by now.

"Speechless Evans? Thank Godrick." With that he walked into the boys locker rooms.

She stood there blazing angry, blood boiling. She just wanted to throw something. Or even better him. Just chuck him across the room and through a wall. Run him over with a milk truck. Pound him into the hard ground with a giant hammer like he was a nail. She wanted to drive something solid through his most vital organs over and over again. Hang him by his toes till they broke off and he bled to death.

Instead she stomped over to the door, pounded on it with all her might. "POTTER!" She shrieked.

"Yeah?" He called back, sounding only mildly frightened. He knew she was pissed.

"Get out here!"

"No thanks."

"Don't make me go in there." She warned viciously.

He really had to stop himself from saying, 'but its the boy's locker room.'

"COME. HERE." She growled out. "NOW."

Lily could hear him speak to the boys from the other side of the door. "Pray for me lads."

He stepped out. "Yeah sweetheart?"

"Don't call me that."

"Darling?"

"Let me tryout." She demanded again.

"What are you? Nguema?"

"I came here. I practiced! Just let me bloody tryout."

"Then what? Put you on the team?"

"No! I just want a bloody fair chance!"

"Alright."

"Why not?"

"I agreed!" He argued.

Lily opened her mouth then stopped. "Really?"

"Yes."

"You're going to give me a fair chance?"

"On one condition."

Lily narrowed her eyes at him.

"There's a Hogsmeade trip going on right now. Go with me, for say an hour?"

"That's bribery." She shot back.

"Its compromise."

"Its an unfair ploy for you to get what you want. It's basically manipulation."

"It is not. Besides what could one date hurt?"

"Other than my sense of self respect? I'm not going to go on a date with you just so I can tryout."

"Oh, so now it's not worth it?" He asked.

"That's not what I said. I just meant that I only want to get on the team fairly. Not because of favoritism." Lily said.

"Alright fine. How about you show me what you've got, then we go?"

"But you'd only be letting me tryout because there would be a promise of a date involved."

James made another offer. "How about we make the two unrelated then?"

"Fine. You give me a chance. I don't go on a date with you."

He grinned. "What do I get in return then?"

"Nothing." She snapped.

"I say we turn this into a democracy."

"You can't have a democracy between two people."

"I should say not. You've turned it into a dictatorship."

"Me?" Lily demanded. "You are the one making me date you before I even get to _tryout_."

"I'm sure some people are done showering by now. We can ask them."

"But they all want to be on the team. They'll side with you. They're biased opinions."

"What do you suggest then? We ask some first year Hufflepuffs?" James asked. "Are they unbiased enough for you?"

"New idea. How about we just solve it on our own?"

"You mean like we've been trying to do?"

"No. Like we negotiate. Come up with something we're both happy with."

"Alright. Let's negotiate down at Hogsmeade."

"Let's negotiate in the common room." Lily countered.

James grinned again. "Nice and private there eh?"

"Hogsmeade it is." She changed her mind.

James chuckled. "After you."

"I want to change first. If I'm going to Hogsmeade I don't want to be wearing my workout clothes."

O

A few minutes later, Lily stormed into her room, only slightly surprised that Rachel was there with Lauren. Rachel was on her bed beside the door distractedly chatting with Lauren as she painted her toe nails, one of her few girlie acts. Lauren was saying something as she idly scanned the ceiling, throwing a hacky sack from one hand to the other.

"Potter's an ass." Lily told them.

Rachel nodded painting a star on her big toe. "Would you like to add something we didn't already know?"

"What did he do this time?" Lauren asked.

"He conned me." She told them dropping in front of her trunk.

Rachel looked up. "What do you mean by con?"

"We were arguing,"

"And?" Lauren shot Rachel a look, telling her to let Lily explain without the commentary.

"And it got heated,"

"In the non-kinky way I hope." This time Lauren didn't just give her a look, she also threw her hacky sack at Rachel's head.

"Alright! I'll stop." Rachel said.

"Well anyway I agreed to go to Hogsmeade with him." Lily dug through her trunk in search of fresh clothes as she explained.

Rachel raised her hand, looking at Lauren for permission rather angrily.

Lauren rolled her eyes at her antics. "Go ahead."

"You sure, because," She stopped when she saw the look she was being given, instead she addressed Lily. "How did he trick you into going?"

"He- Gah." She threw a pair of jeans on the floor, looking at both of them with more attention now. "We were by the changing room, which smells horrid by the way, fighting of course. Then somehow we agree to negotiate. He said to negotiate at Hogsmeade, I said no, we could go to the common room, but then he made one of his stupid suggestive comments so I caved instantly. So now we're going to the village together. I'm only here to change then I'm meeting him downstairs." Lily explained.

"In the common room?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah. He walked me up here." Lily said going back to digging through her trunk, this time for a shirt of some kind.

"That kinda sounds like a date to me."

Lily and Rachel both dramatically gagged.

"Obviously Lily would never willingly go out on a date with that big headed prat." Rachel said. "Right?"

"Duh." Lily agreed instantly, she got higher on her knees so she could reach farther into the mess that had become her belongings. "But I was tricked. Besides its not a date. Its more of a business meeting. We're just going to _try_ and negotiate things."

"What happens when negotiating doesn't work?" Rachel asked.

"Then we kill him." Lily answered holding up a possible shirt.

"You two are horrible. What are you going to 'negotiate'?"

"Child custody Laur." Rachel answered sarcastically.

"Godrick no." Lily shuddered throwing the shirt back in. "He's just not letting me tryout. He just had me stand there while everyone else did."

"That arse." Rachel muttered.

"Exactly." Lily agreed finding a shirt she wanted. It was a simple blue t-shirt. A name of a restaurant she and her parents had gone to that summer on the front.

"Oh, come on. That doesn't even sound like something James would do." Lauren said.

"I'm going to quote something a very wise woman once said." Rachel told them. " 'The asinine git might surprise you.' "

"Rachel!" Lauren scolded. "_You_ said that. This morning in fact."

"And I was right! We thought he'd just let her on the team. Turns out he wouldn't even let her try out."

"Maybe you should take up divinations." Lauren suggested knowing she hated it.

Lily pulled off her shorts, "Do you even remember what it was like being in the class with her?"

Lauren grinned. "It was the funniest part of my day."

"Glad I could amuse you."

Lily slipped into her jeans. "You were pretty hilarious Rachel."

"Shouting those obscenities. Jeeze. Lily, do you remember when we had had to look at tea leaves?"

Lily laughed buttoning up her pants. "Yes."

"And Rachel thought she saw," Lauren was laughing now too, the memory was so funny to them. Rachel, the star of their anecdote, wasn't too thrilled. "A penis in hers."

"Oh, ha ha ha. It was absolutely side splitting." Rachel monotonously grumbled screwing the cap of her nail polish back on. The other two thought so.

"We nearly had you convinced you were going to have an orgasm that night." Lily laughed.

"Nearly got points docked too." Rachel reminded them to no avail.

"That old hag nearly blew up when she heard us!" Lauren added talking about their divination's teacher.

"Don't you have someone to meet?" Rachel cut through to Lily. She stopped laughing, but it didn't pull the smile from her face.

"I'm working on it." She pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her in jeans and a bra.

Rachel put the small glass container in her bedside drawer. Then, almost randomly she jumped on Lauren, who screamed. Lily yanked down her tank top, leaving the shirt she planned to wear over it on the bed. Oddly enough Rachel and Lauren used to this all the time. Before the big blow out. One would jump on the other's bed, or on their backs or just crash into them. It had always been strange. But it was Rachel and Lauren.

"Hey Lily, remember?" Rachel asked kneeling on Lauren's bed, as if she hadn't been over come by the sudden urge to tackle her. She broke into song. "Waltzing Matilda. Waltzing Matilda you'll come waltzin' Matilda with me."

Then Lauren joined in. "And he sang as he slept and he waited for his billabong. You'll come waltzing Matilda with me." Though they had the lyrics wrong, it was still funny. They could hardly get through it. For about a week over the summer after fourth year they all stayed at Lauren's grandmother's house. Her grandfather had been Australian, and taught them that song, with the right words. Along with what the words actually meant.

Either way they spent many nights drinking what they shouldn't have been and singing that song over an over again until the words got very mixed up.

"Down came a sheep man and up jumped the other guy. And they sang as they shagged-" very mixed up and messed up indeed. If Lauren's grandfather heard them he'd have shot them all. Or just killed 'em with a quick curse.

Lily laughed loudly. The dopes. And yet they were her friends. Her roommates.

"Do you really have to go?" Rachel asked struggling to put on a sad face.

"I really don't want to." Lily replied smiling.

"You should just blow him off." Rachel smiled hopefully.

"Rach," Lauren shook her head laughing. "Lily, you should go. You've worked for this."

"But its lunch with Big Head." She and Rachel whined.

Lauren looked between them. "Wow."

Lily took the blue shirt from the bed. "I'll see you guys later. Just hope I don't end up killing myself."

"That's the spirit!" Rachel cheered.

"Kick his butt. Make him put you on the team." Lauren instructed. Lily saulted them both before heading out the dormitory and down the stairs.

She was just tugging her shirt hem down when she came to a stop in front of Captain J. Potter. Quidditch asshole. But yet, it was her job to basically kiss that ass and get on that Quidditch team. Fun day.

Not.

**Okay, so here are some inside jokes/information on this chapter:**

**Notice the names of the beaters? Toby Williams and Keith Smith. Now take apart their names and swap them. Toby Keith (Country singer for those who don't know) and Will (Short for William I'd imagine) Smith. Will Smith: actor I'm sure you've heard of him once or twice.**

**Macias Nguema was a dictator powerful in Guinea at about the same time as the Marauders went to school. Hence the reference.**

**Adam who has only been mentioned so far will become important later on, so he's not just a name thrown in.**

**There's a ton of references in Chapter 2 and some more in 3 :D**

**REVIEW PLEASE!**


	5. In Pursuit of Ending a NonDate

**So originally this was only 5 pages. Then it increased to 9. With tons of short dialog leaving it at over 2,500 words. So I threw in another piece leaving me with _12_ pages 4,300 words. About. So it doubled!**

**Also the Draft went a very different way. But this was the way I originally planned and it works out better I think.**

Chapter 5 In Pursuit of ending a non-date

Lily held onto the neck of her butterbeer bottle, dragging it in slow circles across the wood table inside the Three Broomsticks, ankles crossed tightly under her chair.

James, however, was sitting back, balancing the chair on two legs. His bottle was almost empty on the table, causing Lily to figure he'd drank it so quickly out of nerves. And though she tried, Lily was not great at reading other people. That was Rachel. She was always the one for reading others' behavior and body language.

When they had first came in, it had drawn a lot of attention from the other students. It seemed the whole establishment wanted to know what Lily Evans and James Potter were doing together. The interest died pretty quickly when the rest of the population realized the two had done nothing more than order drinks and sit there quietly, as if not knowing what to say or afraid to say what he or she really wanted to say. As for Lily, she didn't want to jump right on him demanding to know why he wouldn't let her on the team, though she was beginning to think she just wouldn't talk because this whole thing wasn't worth the argument, her time, or him anymore.

She also wasn't exactly sure why Mr. Confidence wasn't making chit-chat. His gaze shifted to the window, his hand closing around the neck of his bottle then going to his lips. Cue swig. Barely a second later it clanked back onto the table, now empty.

The silence, while welcome for the first ten minutes she had sat there, was getting ridiculous. Wasn't this what he wanted? This wasn't a date, but she was sitting at a table, in a place that served food, with him. And only him. If this were a date, she would have left a long time ago, it was that dull. But since she wanted something, she had to stay.

It was round two of Lily being the responsible, respectable, mature adult. Because that worked out _so_ well last time.

This time she'd try for polite conversation first, use some tact. "How's your day gone so far?" She asked.

He frowned at her, confused. It was almost cute. "Alright. Yours?"

"Pleasant enough," she answered curtly.

"Glad to hear."

"Hmm. Isn't it?" A bite of the anger she was feeling crept into her voice.

"Yes?" He sounded so confused. Poor bloke.

"So, how about we get the purpose of this meeting over with?" Lily suggested. She was pretty proud of herself so far. No screaming, name calling, or threats. "Now, to go about this maturely, we shouldn't point any fingers, regardless if it is all your fault. So, I feel that you weren't justified in your," She searched for the right wording, "abuse of power. You denying me a fair chance at what I wanted was uncalled for."

"How is that not pointing any fingers?" James asked, getting the gist that an argument was beginning to boil between them.

"Because," she explained, loosing her already short amount of patience. "I used, 'I feel' rather than 'you did' or something similar."

"But you still-"

"Regardless." she cut him off. "Explain yourself."

"What do you want me to explain that I haven't already?" There had to be a way to defuse this right? Though James could handle an argument better than silence. Silence from Lily was abnormal. Fighting was at least familiar.

"You haven't explained anything to me. You've been a prick about the whole thing, refusing to give me a fair chance."

"That's finger pointing," he said. "You said not to point fingers."

"If I were you, I wouldn't be quoting me." Lily warned. "Why won't you just explain to me why you wouldn't let me have a fair chance?"

James leaned across the table. "Do you remember when I gave my speech? At the very beginning of tryouts?"

"Vaguely," she answered, getting irritated.

"Then you should remember I said that I'm the captain, so I pick who gets to be on the team? By not getting off the pitch then, you made a statement. One that said me picking the team wasn't a problem with you."

"I remained on the pitch to wait for my turn to tryout. Not because I was agreeing with you," she snapped.

James shrugged, leaning back once again. "Too late now. Try outs were this afternoon."

She glared at him. He was being completely unreasonable! At this point, she didn't care what he had to say, she just wanted to scream at him. The whole, mature thing was about to be thrown out the window. It had lasted longer than she expected though. "I was bloody well there! You're being unfair!"

"I am not." He disagreed. "You're being unreasonable."

"Me? How?"

"You know what? I don't want to argue about this."

"Well I do."

"Jeeze. Woman."

"Don't you dare woman me." She warned.

He leaned over, intentionally. "Woman."

She grit her teeth together. Don't. Loose. It. Don't let him get to you. Don't let those stupid eyes see weakness. Solid wall. "Wanker."

There went the name calling ship. It even waved and smirked on its way out of port.

James actually laughed. Nothing loud or boisterous, but it was pretty clear he found this funny.

"It's not amusing!" Did anyone have a hard blunt object? "Just tell me why."

"Is it really bothering you that much?"

"Yes!"

The git had the nerve to smirk! Anyone? A bat perhaps? A frying pan? The bottle in front of her was almost mocking. Calling to her, ' Throw me, he doesn't need that head!' Lily shook off the urge to toss it at him. Focus.

James was talking again. "Why don't you just let it go?"

Let it go? _Let it go_? "Never."

"Don't mention it, and I'll let you tryout."

"That's bribery. It won't work." She told him. Though she was sure he had already tried this tactic.

"How is that bribery?" He shot back.

"Because, it is the same as holding a candy out to a baby. But he can't have it until she does, or doesn't do something that her parents say."

"Your baby has some gender issues."

"What?"

"Well he started out as a he, but then turned into a she."

"Don't change the subject." Seriously? He picked _that_ out of her analogy?! What the hell?

"I'm not," he argued. "I'm following your train of thought."

"No, you are not. My train is on one track and yours has jumped track and gone right into the ocean. That's how far off you are."

"Oceans are nice."

"Stop that."

"You said ocean. I want to follow that thought."

"No."

"How about babies? Would you rather talk about them?"

"No." Not with you, ever!

"You are very bossy."

"No, I'm not."

James hesitated. Did he really want to argue with her? "Yes you are." Yes, he did. It was familiar. Un-awkward.

"Am not."

"Are to."

"Am not."

"Are to."

"I am not," She repeated.

"You is to."

"Are to." she corrected.

"Thank you!" James all but shouted.

"No!" Lily shrieked. People around the pub were looking their way again. This was expected of them, not the silent Lily and James getting along. "Cheater!"

"Very mature."

"Nobody asked you." she huffed. "Besides who are you to tell me that I'm acting immature?"

"I'm me. I'm telling you that you are immature."

She frowned at him. When the hell did they start arguing about this? How did it even get to this point? Time to jump back. "Let me on the team."

James sniffed. "No."

"No?" She repeated. "Seriously?"

"I told you to drop it. You couldn't do that so, no."

Her mouth dropped open. "You can't do that."

"Just did."

"But-but." She was practically forcing herself to hyperventilate. It was very immature, she knew this, somewhere in the back of her mind. "I worked hard for it!"

"Then you should have let it go." he spoke calmly. Treating her like the child she was acting like. It was very un-Lily like. But she was beyond acting her age.

"You have to let me."

"I don't have to do anything."

"I came here with you." She reminded him angrily. "It was part of the agreement."

"No,"

"Was to!"

"The agreement was to come here and talk about it."

She had to stop herself from flailing her arms angrily. Instead she just sort of had an arm spasm that looked like she was about to hit the table. She took a deep breath gathering up her dignity. Now it was time to pick it up out of the dust, polish it off, and use it. Properly.

She stood up from the table, her chair scrapping loudly on the ground.

"Oh, come on. Where are you going?" James asked.

"This meeting is proving to be counter productive." she told him. "I think it would be in our best interest if we just ended it here, before either of us do something rash."

"Either of us meaning you?"

She glared at him. "I never said that."

"You implied it."

Lily exhaled loudly. "Goodbye Potter."

O

"So, how did it go?" Rachel asked, the dorm door not even fully closed.

Lily answered truthfully, "We argued."

Rachel gasped mockingly. "No! And here I thought you were on such great terms."

"I guess it was just assumed that we would fight then?" Lily grinned.

Rachel gave her an almost annoyed look, then grasped an invisible microphone, held it in front of her mouth and announced, "Ding ding ding! And the honorary title of Captain Obvious goes to Miss Lily Evans herself!" She dropped her 'microphone'. "Alright, so what'd you fight about?"

"Nothing really." She shrugged sitting on her bed.

"Really?" Rachel wasn't buying that. "You practically stomp in here, and its 'nothing really'?"

"He's just being a-"

"Bastard? Wanker? Asinine fool? Sexually frustrated homo?"

"I think we've seen enough to know that he's not gay." Lily laughed. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm going to take a shower."

"Awesome. On your way back could you bring us some fruit?"

"Why?" But then, a second after it was out of her mouth she realized it was probably better not to ask.

"Because I'm feeling fruity. And I figure if I eat enough citric acid I can eventually deteriorate my teeth." She then smiled broadly, showing off her whites. Despite the joke Rachel was pretty good about taking care of her teeth. Even her really crooked one off to the side. It was, oddly enough, her favorite tooth. It had personality, or that's what she claimed.

"That's gross." Lily told her.

Rachel shrugged. "Just chop up some apples, peaches, bananas, strawberries and throw in some blueberries. Okay?"

"Why don't you do it yourself?"

"Because this is how you're going to be repaying me for the physical pain you induce" Rachel said.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm taking my shower first."

"Fine!" Rachel agreed in that tone of one who'd just lost an argument.

"Fine!" Lily echoed stomping off to the door in a dramatic display. "But I'm adding walnuts."

Rachel made loud grossed out noises that left nothing to the imagination.

O

After her shower she went to the kitchen as promised. Rachel had been introduced to the kitchen's location after her brief relationship, if one could even call it that, with Sirius.

So Lily stood at one of the counters, cutting up fruit and putting them into a bowl. The blueberries had been easiest.

"Hey," James said causing her to jump, having missed the noise he made coming in. Once she realized who it was however, she just glared, then went back to slicing a bit of apple. "Whatcha' doing?"

"Making fruit salad," she answered. "It's healthy, and for a bit of fun up in the girl's dorms."

"What are you going to do with the fruit?" James asked suggestively. Apparently he'd already forgotten their lunch. Or wasn't aware that she was still mad at him for it.

Lily willed herself not to get mad. Although mentally, she was slapping herself for setting herself up for that bad innuendo. Instead, she rolled her eyes and answered. "Eat it. Nothing remotely perverse."

"Aww, you take all the fun out of it," he teased smirking. She shook her head continuing on to cutting up a peach.

"Why aren't the elves cutting this up?"

"Because." She answered.

"Is there more you'd like to add?"

"Nope. I don't have to explain myself to you." She sliced the peach in half, going around the large seed in the center. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting some snacks before me and the boys go out."

"Where are you going?" She didn't care really, it just came out. Like a knee jerk reaction.

"Out."

"Fine don't tell me. I don't care what you or your stupid friends do."

"Okay." James shrugged.

"You could go off gallivanting in the woods and I couldn't give two figs."

"Noted." He took a slice of peach. Lily angrily threw some more slices into the bowl.

"Okay. Where are you going?" She demanded. Really, being Head Girl meant she couldn't just let the troll or his minions go out past curfew without trying to stop them.

"I thought you didn't care?"

"I don't."

"Then why are you asking?"

"I'm not." She changed her mind. It wasn't her night to patrol anyway. She could play naive this time.

"You just did."

"Well, maybe I do care. And not caring was just a pretense, a ruse, to get you to tell me."

"But it wasn't." He cocked an eyebrow waiting for her to dispute this fact.

"No. It wasn't." She glared at the bowl hoping that will power would be enough to get him to leave her alone.

"Because as you said; you couldn't give two figs."

"Barely half a fig, as a matter of fact." She said.

"There you have it."

"If I did care would you tell me?" She challenged knowing that he would smugly reply, 'nope.'

But instead she got: "If you cared." Well she right about him replying smugly. She scowled.

"So, if I were to say that I wanted to know where you were going you would say..." She almost hoped he would slip and tell her, just so she'd have something on him to use against him later.

"I'd tell you where I was going with my friends."

"Well, that's not going to happen."

"I know." He reached into her bowl, taking an apple slice. "That's why I have no problem telling you. If you cared. Which you don't, so no worries." He shrugged again. Oh, what she would give to use her knife to slice off each of his fingers. She clutched at the knife about ready to spear it through his head.

Instead she smiled. "Half a fig. Remember?"

"Half a fig." James repeated, grinning back.

"So you should get going," Lily suggested slicing off a thick strip of peach into a semi triangular shape.

"I haven't even gotten the snacks yet." He reached for the bowl again, but Lily slid it away from him. This didn't sway him though, instead he just reached across her. Lily picked it up extending her arm, so he couldn't reach. It didn't stop him from trying though.

Lily pointed the knife at his neck, and he finally retracted a bit. "Back away from the bowl." She warned. He let his hand drop, but didn't back away. "I highly recommend you get your snack and leave."

He still didn't back away. He was too close, and it was making her nervous. "Could you give me some space?" Lily demanded.

"Is it bothering you?" James asked softly, moving around behind her, placing each of his hand on either side of her, pinning her between the counter and him. Lily tried leaning forward to avoid touching him. It wasn't working so well. But, oh, how easy it would be to elbow him in the gut. She refrained, not yet wanting to resort to violence.

Lily was quickly running out of peach to slice, soon she'd only have James' body nearly pressed against her back to concentrate on. Logically if she pretended it didn't bother her, then he'd get bored, right? Then move on to make that snack and leave with his friends. But then nothing Potter did was logical.

She could feel his breath on her neck as if waiting for it to bother her. He was enjoying this moment more than he should, she could tell. Especially when he inhaled, probably sniffing her hair. Having enough, she slammed the knife on the counter. Really, it had been barely five seconds. Maybe seven. But he was getting under her skin.

"I don't care-" She stopped herself. Telling him his closeness didn't bother her would almost be giving him permission to get close without getting slapped. "I mean: its not so much the proximity that bothers me. As who, that is so close." She spat.

James was debating whether or not to push his luck. Why not though? So he slowly slid his hands closer together, so he was nearly embracing her. He bent down whispering in her ear. "You don't mean that."

"Don't fool yourself." With that she pushed him violently, forcing him out of her way. As she found a banana she could almost hear the rusty cogs spinning in his head. What was he planning? It certainly wouldn't bode well for her.

When she turned around again he was standing right there. She sighed, agitated then stepped to the side. He mirrored the action. She stepped to the other side, only to be mimicked again.

"If I-" He began.

"No."

"You didn't even let me finish." He tried to pout, but his grin was interfering.

"Didn't need to."

"What if it was for your benefit?" He asked coping her next step effortlessly. Shame, she only had a banana to throw at him.

"Doubt it. It comes from you."

He cocked his head to the side. "You tear me up inside."

"You'll get over it." She tried feigning to the right, but he went to the left, expecting it.

"Move." She snapped.

"What no please?"

"_Please_ move." she gritted out.

"That doesn't sound convincing."

She was physically showing signs of an upcoming outburst. Her teeth were grinding together her fist shaking, neck tense. "If you don't move in the next second I will shove this up your ass," She showed him the banana, "And then conjure you into a duck to have sent to America where you can be far away from me. Then I hope you get shot down and roasted."

"That seems like a lot of work just because I wouldn't move out of your way." He was truly suppressing a grin now. As if she were cute with these threats.

"Just move!"

"Please." He instructed.

"No."

"No?"

"No." She repeated. "I'm not saying it."

"Why?"

"Because its stupid and pointless and I already did."

"It wasn't nicely." He explained. She felt like screaming. Literally blowing his head clean off his shoulders.

"Are you serious?"

"No that's my-"

"Don't." She cut him off. "Don't you dare try to make a joke. Not a pathetic pun. Not a single comment about Black. So help me God, if you value your life, you will not finish that sentence." He swallowed, nodding. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes then said, almost pleasantly. "Could you please get out of my way?" This time he did take a few steps out of her path.

"Thank you." she said stepping back up to her cutting board. James watched for a few silent seconds. At least until she was done slicing the banana.

He handed her another one, receiving another short curt, "thanks".

"Did you want to hear my offer?" He finally asked when she finished that one and he handed her a third. She glanced at him, peeling away the thick yellow skin.

"Sure." She agreed. If only to get him to go away.

"I'll help you." He said. She frowned.

"With what?"

"Quidditch. I'm captain," He added quickly, "I could put you on the team as a replacement, train you up a bit."

She hesitated, speculating, wondering why he hadn't made this offer at lunch. "What do you get in return?"

"Nothing." Now she was looking at him straight on.

"Nothing? You're just going to put up with me for possibly weeks, with no payment?" She asked. There had to be a catch.

"Well, I'd be spending time with you." She almost grinned when he said that. Almost. How pathetic could he get?

"How did you know I wanted to get on the team?" She asked instead of going into depth in that subject. Though her question was pretty obvious. After the tryouts and then the lunch.

"You showed up at tryouts remember?"

"Right. And then you ignored me." She reminded him.

"Quidditch is a violent sport. I didn't want you getting hurt."

"That's none of your concern."

"Regardless." He shrugged, trying to make it a lesser deal.

"Why are you willing to help me now then?"

He sighed. "I was wrong to just brush you off like that." She crossed her arms, there had to be more than that.

"You didn't have a problem with it then. What's changed? Why do you really want to do this?"

"I do. Alright? So do you want my help or not?"

She frowned, yet again. "You weren't actually planning on helping me. You just wanted to get me alone." She accused.

"That's not it. You know it."

"That seemed to be your goal. With the whole, 'go to Hogsmeade with me and we'll talk it out' So why then? You said replacement, so clearly I wouldn't be getting much, if _any_ air time. Do you really mean to tell me that out of the blue you just decided to put me on, without once seeing me on a broom, outside of first year, and that one time on the pitch earlier this week, you're willing to train me up, so there must me an ulterior motive. Do you need some kind of school work help? Is this another attempt at dating me?"

"Do you not believe that people can just want to help?"

"No. People can. You can't."

"That's harsh." he said.

"Don't you dare start lecturing me on morals. Or what's harsh."

"Look," He said. "I'm willing to help you, why are you fighting it?" Lily inhaled glaring at him.

"It's not like I really want this."

"Then why'd you try out?"

"Because," She paused, "I saw the flier."

"Are you really that perceptible to fliers?"

"No." She was getting defense now, "I just saw it and realized that you only get one chance to live. So I might as well try. But then I get really dedicated."

"Tomorrow's Sunday." James pointed out, rather unnecessarily.

"I know." She said, turning it so her tone was rather rude, as if implying his stupidity with those two words.

"So we'll start then. Meet me on the pitch at five."

"But that's at right during diner." She argued.

"Not that five."

"Then...you mean in the morning?" She demanded. He laughed. Actually laughed.

"Yes. That five."

"The sun's not even awake at that hour. Are you crazy?"

"You said you got really dedicated. Well breakfast goes till about nine thirty, ten, most other students will still be in bed, so no questions, no one will see, and uninterrupted practice time. It will also give us plenty of time." Those things didn't matter so much in Lily's mind. One thing was blaring like a fog horn and sun in her mind.

"Five A.M.?"

Again James just chuckled. "Yes. Five A.M."

"Can't we just do it at like, ten? At night? No one's out then either."

"But that's after curfew. Can't be breaking the rules Head Girl."

"But, I don't do A.M.'s well. I'm not a morning person. I don't function well then." She complained.

"I have to get those snacks." He walked over to a group of elves, leaving Lily to her half cut peach.

**O**

**What are your feelings on James' change of heart? There IS a reasonable explanation, but what are your thoughts? Also, who's crazy enough to willingly wake up at 5 AM???**


	6. In Pursuit of Watching for Bludgers

**I'm sorry guys. Its taken me forever to update. But I'm back, and for those who are reading this THANKS! It will be getting better promise. The plots all worked out, so I'm excited and updates should be more frequent.**

Upon hearing Lily enter, Rachel looked up from the book she'd been scribbling in."I brought your fruit." Lily showed her the bowl as proof.

"Mm. Gimme." Rachel ordered holding out her hand. Lily gave it to her, plopping down beside her on the bed.

"So what are you doing?"

"Studying."

"But you never study." Lily pointed out.

"Correction. I don't study for self benefit. This is for the sole purpose of peeving Witherbe off." Witherbe was obviously their DADA teacher. One Rachel wasn't so crazy for. Again, obviously. The reason? Well in typical form, Rachel refused to simply write an essay. She had to argue some point. Witherbe, was brilliant in all honesty, very knowledgeable, but she didn't take Rachel's argumentative behavior too well.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Did it ever occur to you to just let the woman teach?"

Rachel looked at Lily, "That is absolutely ludicrous."

Lily took a slice of apple from the bowl. "Where's Lauren and Kenna?"

"ERR!" Rachel exclaimed startling Lily. Like an unexpected buzzer from some sort of muggle game show right out of hell.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Do you hear that?" She demanded in return.

Lily listened to the nothingness around them for a few seconds before saying, "Hear what?"

"Exactly." She snapped. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear and all that. Until I thought about you, this dorm was silent. Then, your name pops up in my head, a few seconds later you show up. I refuse to let that happen again. Besides, I'm pretty sure that our magical powers increase the chances of it happening."

"But we've already talked about-"

"ERR!"

"They're-"

"ERR!"

"Rachel-"

"ERRR!"

Lily gave her an annoyed look. "Listen, Lily. I love you. I do. But I have gotten so much studying done so far. And I don't want to mess that up by having to spend hours explaining relatively simple theories to a certain someone." Lily knew she was talking about Kenna. "So please, don't think about them, or speak of them."

"Maybe if you didn't find reasons to dislike people you wouldn't have this problem."

"I don't have a problem. And I don't find reasons. They're extremely obvious reasons."

"Really? What's your problem with Kenna then?"

Rachel made an annoyed sound. "I'm not having this conversation with you. Again."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine. Natali then?"

Before Rachel could respond, their other roommates walked in. Lauren and Kenna looked like complete opposites if one thought about it. Lauren was blond with long hair cut in layers that softened up her already gentle face and soft pale skin. Where as Kenna had dark brown hair cut short and blunt, glasses and very tanned skin. A smart looking girl, where Lauren looked nicer and a bit ditzy. Lily learned awhile ago that their looks didn't reflect their personalities though. The only thing they really shared besides their uniforms, were their height and shoe size.

"Lily!" Kenna greeted loudly.

"Hey." Lily smiled.

"Guess what we just saw." She grinned.

"Erik?" Rachel guessed.

Kenna cocked her head to the side, hair swinging into her eyes. "Who?"

"Erik." Kenna frowned, head cocking to the other side. Rachel explained further, "The Phantom from the _Phantom of the Opera_. Originally _Le Fantôme de l'Opéra_ since it was published in French....Its a popular muggle play production and musical. Its even showing in Her Majesty's Theatre and Broadway."

Kenna shook her head. "I've never heard of it." She giggled as if Rachel were being silly.

Rachel looked almost offended.

"Anyway." Lauren cut in. "Tell them what we saw."

"Right. Okay. We were coming up here from Hogsmeade right, and there was a group of Aurors. Godric, I would join Auror training just for the view."

"Gag." Rachel muttered.

"Kenna. Just tell them." Lauren urged.

"Sorry." she laughed. "_Behind_ the Aurors Madam, uh... fudge. What's her name? She runs that cute little shop off of High Street?"

"The Hogshead?" Rachel offered sarcastically.

"Ew. No."

"Madam Puddifoot." Lauren told her.

"Right! That place." Kenna said. "Any-who. We were passing the Aurors, when we saw her, she was kissing a bloke!"

Rachel gagged some more, coughing loudly.

"Ew. Seriously?" Lily asked.

Rachel made a face. "I think my IQ is dropping."

Kenna however was nodding, like this was the most important news ever.

"So what were you two talking about?" Lauren asked.

Lily and Rachel looked at each other. "Erm, Potter." Lily answered. That was where their conversation was going to go anyway. Besides, she couldn't just tell them that they were discussing Rachel's dislike for their roommates.

Lauren's eyes widened infinitesimally. "Wow. Now _that_ sounds ground breaking. Very intellectual and stimulating."

"What were you saying about him?" Kenna demanded.

"Just insulting him really." Rachel answered.

"So, speaking of James, how did the tryout go? " Lauren asked.

"It just proved that Potter's an arse." Lily said.

"What'd you tryout for?"

"Theatre, Kenna." Rachel answered sardonically.

She frowned. "But we don't have-"

"She's kidding." Lauren cut her off. "What do you mean James' is an arse?"

"Just that at first he wouldn't let me tryout."

Lauren frowned. "He wouldn't?"

"What?" Kenna shrieked. Lauren waved a hand at her, telling her to be quiet.

"Nope."

"Well then what happened?" Kenna asked, ignoring Lauren's bossy hand. And Rachel's irritated look.

"We went for lunch."

Lauren frowned more. Like she was missing something.

"I still say we should just destroy his room." Rachel said.

"We can't."

"We can."

"I'm Head Girl. I have to set an example."

"So, teach the youngsters that men are useless slime."

"Let it go Lily." Lauren advised. "There's no winning with that one."

"I can take offense to that." Rachel said indignantly.

"You can take offense to anything." Lauren replied.

"I objected." Rachel informed her.

"Defending party doesn't care." Lauren replied. Then addressing Lily, "So how'd your lunch with James go?"

"You went on date with the Quidditch Captain?" Kenna asked, leaning to the side her short, light brown hair jumping to cover her eyes once again.

"It was a meeting. Not a date." Lily corrected.

"A meeting with all the signs of a date." Lauren added.

Rachel bit into her peach, for once not commenting. Leaving Lily to answer. "It was _not _a date."

"Wait, when did you go?" Kenna asked.

"Today obviously."

"Where?"

"Hogsmead."

"That doesn't answer my question though." Lauren interrupted. "How did it go?"

"It was a lunch with Potter. How do you think it went?" Rachel asked rhetorically.

"That's why I'm asking her." Lauren retorted.

"We argued." Lily shrugged, giving them the same line she'd given Rachel earlier.

"Anything you'd like to add?" Lauren edged.

"Not really." She wasn't completely sure she wanted to add in that she ran into James down in the kitchens.

"Did you sort out the whole tryout thing?" persisted Lauren.

"Not during lunch." looks like she had to tell. "But then I bumped into him when I went to the kitchen and we worked it out."

"And?"

"Yes, and?" Rachel mocked, faking enthusiasm.

"And I'm on the team."

"What?" they all asked, in different tones. Shock in all of them, prominent or not.

"But you didn't tryout right?" Lauren asked.

"Nope."

"What?" Rachel repeated.

"How?" Lauren demanded.

"You're on the team?"

"Yes." Lily answered Kenna's question.

Rachel cleared her throat. Loudly. "What?"

Lauren cringed from the volume.

"Hey, um, Lily." Rachel said, mock hesitantly. "Did you, perhaps, forget to mention that little tid bit to me _earlier_?"

This time it was Lily to cringe from her volume. "It never came up?" she offered.

Rachel gave her the stink eye.

"So does this mean your an item now?" Kenna asked, receiving a disgusted look from two. The other one of them just shook her head, amused.

"No." Rachel and Lily said, dragging the word out.

"All right. I was just asking."

"So, what is the It child getting in return?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing." Lily shrugged.

"Nothing?" Rachel repeated.

"He so likes you." Kenna threw in.

"Yes. Thank you Juliet." Rachel snapped.

"Who?" Kenna asked in return.

"Juliet. The main character, well one of them, from Romeo and Juliet. In my opinion she was always a little desp-err," She paused, changing her wording. "Bit of a romantic."

"What?"

Again Rachel's voice got slow, making sure she didn't loose Kenna when she explained it. "A very famous muggle play, written by William Shakespeare. Originally meant to be a comedy, but its now considered more of a romantic and tragic story."

Kenna's head cocked to the side. "What?"

Rachel just looked at her, as if wondering if she were serious. "You know what? I'm going to have to start doing wizarding references."

"Okay." Kenna agreed slowly, obviously not too sure about this idea.

"Oh! I know. Of the weak of mind and slow in intellect none can compare to Kenna Capulet."

"I thought you weren't making anymore muggle references." Lily said.

"Well golly-darn." Rachel snapped her fingers once. "I'll just have to work harder on that."

"Who's Kenna Capulet?" Kenna asked.

"No one." Rachel said, in a fake innocent voice that Kenna wouldn't catch. Instead she just frowned in confusion, looking the other way. Lauren though was giving Rachel a rather sour look.

"Hey," Kenna said almost randomly to Rachel, of all people, "If this Ron-eo and Juliet was meant to be a comedy how can it be considered tragic now?"

Rachel covered her face with her hand. Lauren and Lily exchanged smiles.

"Okay, first of all, its _Romeo_ and Juliet. Not Ron-eo. Secondly," Rachel explained. "It's romantic as well as tragic." Lily took this time to sneak off to the washroom, where she could brush her teeth, hair and change into her night clothes.

By the time she got back it seemed that they had forgotten about her making the team. Or simply Lauren and Kenna had found something else to do while Rachel had become suddenly tired.

Following suit Lily climbed into bed, not giving the other two still awake a chance to ask more questions.

- O - O - O - O - O -

At 4:45, the loud familiar sound of Lily's alarm rang through dormitory. The owner's head lifted slightly, looking at the hands way too far behind the later in the morning numbers. With a groan she smacked at the general direction of the alarm, her head hitting her soft, warm, welcoming pillows.

There was no way Quidditch was worth this. Not even proving to Potter that she could play the sport was worth waking up this early. The sun was even mocking her by not being up, not even a shimmer of it peeking over the horizon. The bloody thing got to sleep in.

The dorm was too quiet without the alarm or other girls awake and skidding around, desperately readying for class. Lily's head turned toward the dark window, then to glance at Kenna's bed beside her. Not surprisingly, she was blissfully asleep. With a silencing charm around Lily's bed, none of the others heard the needy alarm.

Five minutes after the ringing, Lily was still in bed; trying to convince her body, and mind, that as appealing as the bed may be, she needed to go meet the git downstairs. With a small movement her leg inched toward the bed edge. She was that much closer to getting up.

The clock was reading 4:56 by now with little improvement to Lily's progress. It really was a shame she didn't own a time turner. She could get a few extra hours of sleep then go back and being fully refreshed, go to this work-out/tryout/training thing.

Resigned, and already late, she lugged herself out of bed, into the cold dorm with the frozen floor beneath her feet. Lily didn't even change from the gray unflattering sweats she'd worn to bed. But she did pull a t-shirt over her tank top and a light weight blue jacket over that. Adding socks and sneakers to the mix along with a quick, sloppy ponytail she was ready.

5:15 by the time she was out the door. But she couldn't even thing about how possibly angry James would be. The only thing on her mind in fact was caffeine. Any way. Soda, coffee, an energy drink, potion, a patch even.

"You're late." James said the instant she stumbled into the common room.

She scowled at him. "Am I?"

He nodded taking a sip of something. Something that smelled a lot like caffeine.

"Is that coffee?" She asked. Again he just nodded, lowering the mug. She hated to sound desperate. But this was a desperate time. "Did you bring me one?"

Of all things he grinned. "If you'd been down here on time you would've gotten one."

Now he was just being mean. Before she had time to say anything James turned calling back, "Come on. And who knows, maybe you can earn one." He held up his damned coffee. She really hated him, as well as herself for getting herself into this. Maybe it wasn't too late to quit

Before she could even suggest the 'I quit,' he was strutting out the portrait hole, not waiting to see if she'd follow. He'd just assumed. That dick.

Lily looked at the stuffed couch. So welcoming, right there in front of the fireplace. All it needed was a blanket.

"You coming or what?" James called back to her. With a huff she followed.

"Are we at least getting breakfast?" Lily asked as they walked down the stairs.

"I already ate." He told her. "Its one of the perks of being up when told."

"Why didn't you wait?" Merlin it was too early to be awake.

"I did. Five minutes."

Lily scowled some more. Five minutes. Well, she _was _still in bed then. But still. The point of the matter was he was being inconsiderate.

- O - O - O - O - O -

Lily stood in the chilly morning air with her broom in hand. James stood across from her, only a few meters away with his own broom in hand and a chest of some kind near his leg that was rattling around noisily.

"Mount your broom and we'll get evaluate what needs to be worked on." He instructed.

Lily groaned. She was barely alive, how was she supposed to be expected to do physically trying activities? James was out of his blasted mind. "Can't I have a cup of coffee first?"

"No." He answered simply. "Get going."

"I can barely see. Its too dark out here." Lily tried.

"Excuses. Chop-chop."

"My broom-"

"Evans." James cut her off. "You're the one that wanted this remember? Now either get on your broom, or leave and prove me right." He knew that her pride wouldn't allow her to leave, not with the knowledge that it made him right.

He was right, she growled mounting the damned broom. "Happy? What now? Captain."

"Warm up, two laps around the pitch."

"That's it?"

"Gives your eyes time to adjust to the dark." he replied in a way that just really pissed her off.

"Fine." She took off at an easy pace, staying rather low to the ground. No more than a kilometer up.

"I'm gonna test your spacial awareness now." James called to her, at this point she was about at the goal posts. "Continue with a lap, but also watch out for the bludger I'm about to release."

"I thought this was going to be a warm up?" She shouted back.

"It is. I'm easing you into the constant awareness you'll need for Quidditch. Besides, its all apart of the evaluation process."

"Fabulous." Lily grumbled so he wouldn't hear.

"I suggest flying higher. That way if you need to dive you have the space to. Also don't hug the wall so much."

Lily heaved an irritated sigh, but moved a bit closer to the center of the pitch as well as higher.

"Remember constant awareness!" But he didn't even finish for the bludger rocketed right in front of her, causing her to scream and barrel roll right off her broom and onto the unforgiving ground. There she muttered a pitiful, "Ow."

In a few short seconds James was standing over her. "You all right?"

"Oh yeah. I'm great." She pushed herself into a sitting position on the grass.

"You know. That right there would have been enough for me to cross your name off the even possible list."

"Its just early. If I could have a cup of _coffee_ then I'd be more awake."

He hesitated as she stood up, wiping off her pants and arms. "Why are you really doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Going out for the team." He clarified.

"I told you. I saw the sign." Though it had become a bit more than that.

James grabbed her arm, forcing her a few steps to the right, just in time to get her out of the way of the bludger that had been hurtling their way. "There's more than that. There's got to be. No one forces themselves out of bed at 5 in the morning for something they just happened to see on a flier."

"I am." She insisted picking up her broom a little ways away.

"Is it because now you have something to prove?"

"Just help me and don't ask questions."

He grabbed the broom handle, stopping her from going anywhere. "You already have a lot on your plate this year. Why are you adding Quidditch?"

"Because. I want the experience."

He pointed at her using the hand not still holding her grounded. "You're lying."

She studied his face in the limited too-early light. "What made you change your mind?"

"My mind?"

"About me being on the team."

"Oh." He released her broom. "Sirius."

"Black?"

"Do you know any other Sirius?" James asked.

"What-" She stopped. "Sirius?"

"He just made me realize I was being stupid. Not letting you on without a fair chance. One thing led to another, so now I'm helping you."

"So, if I wanted to quit, would you let me?"

James considered it for a second before shrugging. "Depends. If you were to quit right now it would be because you're just being lazy, so probably not. But if you had a good reason then no."

"How would you stop me?" She challenged.

He grinned. "I would wake you up, then drag you down here, and force you to practice."

"Kidnapping and forced labor? I'm pretty sure that's illegal." Though it should have sounded a bit angrier, it didn't. It was almost teasing. Only almost.

"Yeah?" He was still grinning.

She shrugged yawning. "Are we going to get on with this?"

"I suppose. Finish up the laps and remember to watch for the bludger."

It had to have been an hour later. Lily was exhausted and the sun was up. Blazing hot, too bright and blinding, but coming up over the horizon at any rate, turning the sky blue and clouds nearby orange.

James had made her race from one end of the pitch to the other, chasing the ball like some stupid mutt. He'd stay on the ground chucking them up, then she'd have to chase, catch and shoot through the hoop before he tossed up the next one. This stupid exercise not only made her tired, but it also, supposedly, increased her speed, accuracy, improved overall performance and with the bludger still rocketing around dangerously, awareness.

"Can we be done yet?" She huffed, holding her aching side and a quaffle.

"Ten balls through the hoop, then you can be done." James shouted at her for about the umpteenth time.

"How about a coffee break?" Man was she starving.

"Ten through the hoop."

"Water?" She'd already had a bunch of water breaks, but it wasn't like he could tell her no. Hydration was important.

"You haven't scored once since the last one." James retorted loudly.

Angrily she chucked the ball in the general direction of the three blasted hoops. The ball soared pretty far, but it wasn't nearly far enough. She just wasn't close enough to make it.

James looked over at the quaffle, then at Lily, before finally his watch. It was Sunday morning, pushing 6:45. They hadn't really started any work until 5:40. The harder stuff she was working on now, had started maybe 15 minutes ago. The first hour laps and a little running to try and wake her up with blood flow. They also worked on simple passing. She was at a very basic level.

So far she'd gotten two into the goal. "Get to five and then you can have more water." He conceded.

Lily leaned her head back, trying to be aware of where the bludger was. She was pretty sure it was near the stands on the other side. "Please?"

"Nope. Here comes the next one."

- O - O - O - O - O -

**I know. This was such a filler. But actually I wanted to show a few different things. Mostly just relationships between everyone.**

**What'd you think?**

**For those of you who are reading this A/N when chapter 7's already up i have one thing to say. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? The next chapters up silly. ;) Enjoy.**


	7. In Pursuit of Studying

Chapter 7: In Pursuit of Studying

Monday morning Lily sat at breakfast with Rachel. The Gryffindor team list had been posted and so far she'd gotten a few congratulations.

"During free period Natali and I are going to the library to study. Wanna come?" Lily asked.

"Almost as much as I want to die a painful death." Rachel answered just  
as Kenna and Lauren showed up.

Plopping down next to Rachel, who cringed, Kenna said, "Pass me a  
biscuit please." She then smiled at Rachel, who forced herself to smile  
back and scooted as far away as she could without being noticed or  
running into the second years on her other side.

"Here." Rachel handed one to her.

"Thanks. So what are your plans for free period?" Kenna asked, still  
speaking to Rachel. Lauren looked past Kenna, waiting for an answer.

Rachel looked at Lily, her dark eyes clearly annoyed if the twitch was  
any indication. "Me and Lily are going to study in the library with our  
very own Marian Paroo."

Kenna's head cocked to the side, a frown creasing her brows. "Who's  
Marian? Do you mean Mary?"

"No. I was making a reference. Marian is the librarian-"

"You mean Madam Pince? Is her first name really Marian?" Kenna  
interrupted.

"No." Rachel said slowly. "Marian is the librarian from the Music Man.  
Another rather popular muggle play and movie. She's kinda a stick in  
the mud so I was referring Natali to Marian."

"Well that's not very nice." Kenna scolded suddenly angry.

Rachel's shoulders slumped as she sighed. "Never mind. You don't get  
it."

"So you coming with us then?" Lily asked Rachel.

"Yep."

"You sure?" Lauren asked, reading right through her.

"Yes." Rachel said firmly.

"That's too bad." Kenna told her. Lauren was just about to explain what  
they were going to go do, but Lily blocked it out when the mail started  
to arrive in its usual chaos. She wasn't surprised when a letter from  
her dad came down to her.

_Lily,  
__Glad to hear you made the team. Just got the letter. In fact, gives me  
something to write about. Your mother was just reminding me of a time  
that you wanted to play tennis. Then the violin. Then dance. None of  
them could keep your interest, but you were determined so you didn't  
quit immediately.  
Sorry to hear that boy is still giving you grief. I'll agree it was  
unfair, but he did give you a chance in the end. In a way. Show him up  
is my only advice.  
Mother sends her love, naturally. Petunia's out with that boy again.  
Whatever his name is. I think she's planning on marrying him, as much  
as it kills me to say it. I think I'll just have to kill the boy that  
decides he wants to take you.  
Let's see. Your mum also wants me to remind you to write. Something I  
find useless in reminding you of. The neighbors dog is still peeing,  
and eating, the flowers. The power was out recently after a rather  
nasty rain storm. I think I know what you meant back when you said it  
was like living in medieval times with all the candles about. Nearly  
caught the drapes on fire. You mum still doesn't know about that, so  
I'd like that stay hushed up if you know what I mean._

_ -Love you a million caramel apples. (Just don't tell the doc)  
Dad_

Lily smiled at the letter. By the time she looked up Kenna and Lauren  
were eating, talking idly while Rachel rather moodily abused her eggs.

"Anything new at home?" Rachel asked.

"Nope. Theo's still eating the flowers. Tuny's still dating Vernon. Mum  
reminded me to write."

"Right. Because you don't already write them three times a week."

"You almost done?" Lily smiled, not about to let her comments bother  
her. "We have to get to class soon."

Rachel sighed. "Yeah."

- O - O - O -

Lily, Rachel and Natali all met up at the library during free period  
like planned. They'd been there for about 45 minutes at this point.

"What are your thoughts on underwater breathing by use of  
Transfiguration verses plants?" Natali asked, moving on to their next  
point.

"They're both rather useless?" Rachel offered, her head pillowed by her  
arms, severely slouched over on the desk.

"Transfiguration is better." Lily said.

"I think I'd have to agree. Transfiguration is easier to procure."

Lily nodded. "Besides the only plant really usable is Gillyweed and  
there's a lot of debate on how reliable that is."

Rachel yawned.

"Plus it only works for an hour. The bubble head charm generally lasts  
longer." Natali added.

"Well, that's a charm though. Sticking with Transfiguration one would  
have to turn themselves into a fish of some sort."

"A bit risky. Self Transfiguration shouldn't be attempted unsupervised.  
Not until your at least NEWT level and your successful and skilled in  
the art." Natali pointed out.

"Back to Gillyweed." Rachel butted in. "If you eat too much could it  
kill you?"

"No." Natali answered. "Over consummation couldn't kill you. Though if  
you didn't get into water you would die, just like a fish out of water  
would."

"Eating too much of it can also permanently affect your body. Don't  
forget that." Lily said.

Rachel grunted as if the information no longer interested her, head  
turning to the other side on her desk.

"Gillyweed isn't that common in most Apothecaries either." said Natali.

"We have some here at the school." Lily pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's in Professor Slughorn's personal store room. It's not  
available to most students."

"Unless your one of Slugy's favorites." Rachel muttered. Natali and  
Lily naturally were. But, like most teachers, Slughorn wasn't a huge  
fan of Rachel's need to argue.

Natali cast Rachel an annoyed look, but didn't comment. "I think charms  
would actually be the best choice."

"Can I say something here?" Rachel questioned sitting up, well  
straighter at least.

"I don't think we could stop you." Natali responded.

"When would this information ever come in handy? I mean what do you  
think you'll be doing with your life that makes you think you're going  
to need to know this? Or make this ridiculous decision?"

"It's not ridiculous." Natali told her. "It's theoretical practice. It  
tests your knowledge on the matter."

"Right." Rachel nodded. "So it's useless?"

"It will prepare us for our exams."

"This doesn't sound like NEWT level stuff. It sounds like fourth year."

Natali huffed, clearly offended. "I don't see you contributing to the  
conversation. Is it too difficult for you?"

"Guys," Lily interrupted.

"Did you not see me falling asleep just a second ago? It's dull as  
hell." Rachel went on, right over Lily.

"Rachel!"

"Well I wouldn't expect someone with your low IQ to understand." Natali  
shot back.

"Natali!"

"Oh, yeah. Just keep insulting my intelligence. It's the only thing  
you've got over me isn't it?"

Natali looked her over. "It's not the only thing."

Rachel yanked her hair into a ponytail, a sure sign she was pissed.  
Lily was almost sure she'd start swearing in Italian, her father's  
native language, but she didn't. Mostly. "Your such a pompous little  
femmina. I bet-"

"Rachel!" Lily hissed.

"What?" Rachel demanded. Just over her shoulder Madam Pince was coming  
their way.

"Madam Pince is coming," she warned in an undertone, looking down at  
her book. Rachel turned to make sure she was really coming and Natali  
just looked to the side.

"There a problem here?" The librarian asked, eyes boring through them.  
Rachel glared at Natali for a brief second.

"No ma'am. Everything is just peachy." Rachel answered.

"If you keep disrupting you'll need to leave."

"Noted."

She hesitated, as if she weren't sure they'd respect the rules or not.  
Eventually, after a few long seconds of silence she left.

"What time is it?" Lily asked.

Natali looked at her watch. "Time for us to get ready for next period."

"Last period of the day." Rachel added in something sounding very close  
to joy.

Natali started gathering up her things, organizing them into her bag.  
"What do you have next?" She asked.

"We have Defense next." Lily answered. Rachel scrunched up her nose an  
almost imperceivable amount, her head plunking back down on the desk  
surface.

Natali nodded, placing her quill and ink well into their box. Once all  
her things were packed she looked at Lily fully, "I'm busy the next  
time we have free period together." She said as she slung her bag over  
her shoulder. "If I remember correctly, which I'm sure I do. So if  
you'd like to meet me and a few others we'll be meeting down by the  
lake to discuss some theories."

"Now that is a good time." Rachel remarked into the wood of the table.

Natali graced her with a brief glance. "Thursday, after dinner."

"I can't actually."

Natali's eyes shifted back to Lily in inquiry. "Why?"

"Practice."

"Practice?" She repeated.

"I'm on the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Lily told her.

"I suppose congratulations are in order then."

Rachel heaved a heavy sigh, lifting her head. "Wow. You must be the  
last person to know. How out of the loop do you feel?"

"I'm not in the same house. Somehow the gossip varies, what's important  
in yours isn't in ours." Natali replied.

"Are you saying your house is better than ours?"

"Rachel." Lily groaned.

"No one's house is better. Ravenclaw is just smarter."

Rachel's face almost completely lit up at the prospect of another  
argument. "So, what then is Gryffindor's leading quality? The one that  
makes us the best?"

"Your egos?" Natali offered. Lily had to admit that was low.

"Excuse you?"

"I'll see you later Lily." Natali said, shaking her head at Rachel.

"Yeah. See ya." Lily agreed. She and Rachel watched Natali leave the  
library.

"I don't know what you see in her." Rachel muttered, vacating the chair  
she'd been residing in.

"She's my friend. One of these days you'll need to accept that."

"Hmm. I wouldn't bank on it there."

Lily decided to find it amusing more than irritating that she couldn't  
get along with most people. "Bitter old woman."

"I try."

"Come on." Lily said tugging once on Rachel's sleeve.

- O - O - O -

They entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom a few minutes  
later. Rachel surprised Lily by going to the front of the class and  
taking a seat, folding her arms angelically in front of her, back  
straight, ready for the lesson.

Professor Witherbe looked at her warily. Not sure whether this change  
was a good thing or bad.

"Good afternoon Professor." Rachel smiled, the whole library thing  
behind her. How she compartmentalized was pretty amazing. One minute  
she'd be fighting with Natali, or any other student for that matter,  
then the next she'd be the seemingly perfect student.

"Afternoon Ms. Baker." Witherbe replied, still justifiably guarded. "To  
what do I owe this good behavior?"

Rachel's brow tilted up as she answered innocently, "I don't know what  
your talking about."

Lily looked at her strangely, brows knitting together.

"You wouldn't happen to know what she's up to, would you Ms. Evans?"

"No Miss. I wouldn't."

Rachel smiled. "You didn't expect me to give my plan away did you?"

Witherbe sighed before welcoming the rest of the class.

It was barely ten minutes in when Rachel began asking questions, little  
things that didn't quite patch together in the book. Ah, so the reason  
for studying and good behavior was solved.

At the end of the period they were all preparing to file out when  
Witherbe called, "Ms. Baker. Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Pray for me?" Rachel muttered to Lily. "I'm about to enter that place."

By that place Lily knew she meant anywhere near one of the teachers in  
private. Being anywhere near the teacher's desk or office.

- O - O - O -

After all the classes of the day were over Lily had to go to the pitch  
for her first team practice. If it was anything like the one morning  
private practice she was doomed. It had been long day, one Rachel did  
not help with. The constant fighting and defusing was surprisingly  
exhausting.

It should have been no surprise really that she couldn't fly well, or  
as well as it got for her, when it came time. Thankfully since she was  
only a replacement so her times actually flying were short lived.

James stood beside her on the ground, watching the different positions  
practice. The beaters were just improving accuracy, passing to each  
other or aiming at a target set up on the north end. The keeper and  
replacement taking turns getting past each other. And lastly the  
chasers, or at least two of them, were working on team plays. Passes,  
faking throws, strategies and such.

"Notice how sloppy Daniels's passes are?" James asked, eyes fixed on  
Adam.

Lily watched him too. They looked pretty clean to her. "Not really."

James glanced at her before returning his attention back to the  
chasers. "Daniels!" He called. Adam stopped, quaffle tucked under his  
arm. "Give Sirius the quaffle."

Adam chucked it over to Sirius. Once the orders were carried out James  
continued. "In a minute pass it back to him from above."

Sirius nodded, waiting for go. James spoke once again to her. "Watch  
his hands and over all balance. It's one thing you need to work on too."

"Thanks boss." Lily sarcastically replied.

"Alright, go ahead." He called up to them.

Lily watched carefully. Sirius sliced through the air with such  
accuracy it was almost unreal, he released the quaffle flawlessly, the  
transaction easily missed if one weren't watching carefully. James was  
right naturally, as the quaffle dropped through the air Adam's broom  
became more unbalanced, all his focus moved to watching it descend.  
Then once it was within reach he nearly dropped it.

"He's not very smooth." Lily said.

"Exactly." James agreed. "He doesn't focus enough on all the  
components. Instead just focusing on where the ball is coming from."

"So, I also need to make sure that I'm aware of the whole pitch. Not  
just where the quaffle is? Or who it's with?"

"Yep." James agreed again before giving out the next instruction. "Now,  
Sirius move under him and catch it."

The contrast was insane. Where Adam had been unbalanced and too focused  
on the one thing, Sirius was balanced, graceful even. It even seemed  
like he was more watching it from his peripherals than anything. Once  
the ball began its decent rather than waiting for it to come to him, he  
moved up toward it, catching it with ease upon impact he continued an  
upward climb.

Sirius hovered in the air for a second before tossing the quaffle at  
the ground where Lily and James stood. "When you gettin' your arse up  
here to practice?"

James laughed catching the incoming object somewhere in the middle of  
Sirius' little sentiment. "I'm explaining the finer details here."

"I'm sure you are. I'm also sure Evans there is enthralled by  
everything you have to say. But I'd really like to win."

He grinned speaking to her, "Alright Evans, make sure Williams and  
Smith over there don't injure each other." He indicated the North end  
where the beaters still were. He then mounted the broom he'd been  
holding.

Lily watched him fly, his skill was very similar to Sirius's. Balanced  
and easy. Only where Sirius was a bit more smooth with his movements,  
James was bold, every move precise and intentional.

The three of them flew around, taking up much of the center and south  
end. Watching, it was clear Adam was the weakest link.

It wasn't all that long before Sirius came down to join her. He flew  
upside down, then releasing his feet from around the broom handle, hung  
by his hands. One last show dropped to the ground, broom landing beside  
him.

He didn't say anything, just stood beside her quietly watching the  
events above them.

"Have you talked to Laura?" He asked after what had to be several  
minutes.

"About?" Lily asked in return.

"The team. Naturally. Or have you not noticed we're missing a seeker."

She made a quick scan of the field, sure enough no one was on their  
own, chasing a little ball. "I asked her about it." Lily confirmed.  
"Back when I was first considering joining."

Sirius waited for her to continue, his eyebrow arched ever so slightly.

"She told me if they wanted her on the team they'd ask." She finished.  
He nodded, eyes moving slowly to the north end.

"Oi! Black, don't be a hypocrite. Get up here!"

Sirius looked over at James. "Talk to you later Evans." He said before  
taking off again. Practice, surprisingly, went on similar to that.  
Different members of the team taking turns on the ground watching,  
occasionally accompanied by someone else. It was a good, no matter how  
brief, a way to meet the team.

In the end they all gathered in a circle near the entrance of the  
pitch. James said a quick, "Good job, keep up the good work, practice  
Thursday. First game in five weeks." Type speech.

Rachel met Lily at the gate. "Hey. What are you doing here?" Lily asked.

"It was either come here and meet up with you, or slowly, yet painfully  
loose braincells."

"Well I feel special." Lily said taking a few steps toward the changing  
rooms.

Rachel smiled. "You should. How did practice go?"

"Good actually. Not exceptionally organized, but good."

"Unorganized like how?"

"Just we did whatever for the most part. Taking turns playing. It was,  
dare I say, fun."

"I'd feel your head, to make sure you are not sick, but you smell like  
exercise." Rachel teased.

Lily laughed. "You stand out in the heat, practically running all over  
the place."

"Well hey. If Ego Boy over there still likes you after smelling you  
like this, there maybe no shaking him off."

"Thanks so much. I mean really don't hold anything back." Lily  
commented sarcastically.

"Okay I won't." Rachel joked, bumping her shoulder. "Seriously though,  
go take a shower. I'll meet you...out here."

"Okay." Lily agreed. She went and showered, only having to share the  
girls' room with Janessa. Once she was done and fresh smelling she met  
up with Rachel just outside the changing rooms. Just like she said  
she'd be waiting.

"So what do you want to do?"

"Why can't we just hang out in the dorm?" Lily asked.

Rachel gave her a short pitiful, 'don't-make-me-go-in-there' look

"Let me guess. Brain cell loosing in the dorm?" Lily offered.

Rachel bowed her head in mock misery. "Yes. Kenna and Lauren are in  
there. Gossiping like Ethel and Lucy. Only less likable."

"Lucy and Ethel did not gossip that much. They were more scheming than  
gossiping."

"It was so not scheming." Rachel disagreed as they began the trek back  
to the castle. "I mean how many times did they talk about their  
husbands?"

"That wasn't gossiping though. When they were talking it was more them  
trying to make sure their husbands wouldn't find out."

"Not true." Rachel argued.

"So true. I can think of at least five instances that they schemed up  
some plan. Just so their husbands wouldn't find out what they've done."

"Only five?"

"Probably way more." Lily allowed.

Just then her name was called from behind. She turned to see James  
running to catch up with them.

"Hey." Lily greeted him. "Would you say Ethel and Lucy schemed or  
gossiped?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea what you're talking about actually." James  
admitted rather than trying to figure it out.

"You know? I Love Lucy." James just quirked an eyebrow, befuddled. Lily  
continued, mimicking Ricky, "Lucy! I'm home!"

"Nope." He told her as they started walking again. "No idea."

"Hmm." Lily hummed a little grumpily.

"Anyway. Could you talk to Lauren?"

"About?" Lily inquired glancing over at him. His hair was still damp  
from his own quick shower, little water specks spotted his shirt.

"Joining the team again. We desperately need a seeker."

"I'll see what I can do. Should I tell her you're desperate?"

"More than." James said.

"In dire need?" Lily asked.

"Something like that." He grinned. Lily laughed.

"I'll talk to her." She agreed.

"Thanks. Make sure she's here Thursday."

"I will." Lily promised.

"Anything else Potter?" Rachel demanded.

"Nope." He said easily. "See you around." He turned, going back toward  
the pitch, where, she was sure, he was going to meet up with Sirius.

Rachel was frowning at Lily silently. "What?" Lily asked after a minute  
or two.

"I can not believe you."

"What?" She repeated.

Rachel shook her head.

"What?" Lily demanded again.

"I can not believe-"

"What?" She all but shrieked.

"You were just flirting with Potter." Her tone was accusatory, and at  
the same time disgusted.

"What?" Lily gasped.

Rachel mocked them from earlier. Making Lily seem super giggly.  
"'Should I tell her your desperate?' 'More than.' Hehehe."

"Oh. Stop it." Lily scoffed. "I was not flirting with him. Godrick.  
You are sounding like Kenna."

"I can take offense to that."

"You, chummy, can take offense to anything."

"Chummy?" Rachel repeated.

Lily rolled her eyes, repeating, "We were not flirting."

"Denial." Rachel sighed sadly. "A sure sign."

"I hate him."

"Yet indifference is the opposite of love. Hate is a cover."

"What is wrong with you? Do you want me to get together with him?" Lily  
asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"Of course not. He'd just end up hurting you anyway."

Lily considered this for a moment before saying, "I should go up and  
talk to Lauren like I promised. Tomorrow there is a Charms club meeting by the way."

"So I need to find a way to entertain myself?"

"Probably." Lily agreed. "Oh! I also need to write my dad back."

"You're going to give yourself premature wrinkles with everything  
you've got going on." Rachel warned.

"I will not."

**So if you had to pick a person similar to one of Lily's friends to be your best friend who would you pick? Kind, intuitive Lauren? Ditsy, gossippy but stick up for Kenna? Or sarcastic, feminine, but forever there for you Rachel? Sorry but no votes for the Marauders , they're not friends with Lily yet. **


End file.
